United
by HotchocolatesandGingerbread
Summary: Momo Yaoyorozu will inheret war when she becomes queen, but she dreams of peace and wants to end the war with her reign, no matter the cost; the only issue is the cold nation to the north, her kingdoms greatest enemy. The question is though, will she have to end the war in blood or can she make peace with their king, Shoto Todoroki. Remember, all is fair in love and war.
1. Chapter 1 : Introduction

When I was born, the first thing I was taught was not to walk or to talk, no child born in my kingdom learns these skills first. No, the first thing we children learn is hatred and fear, fear of another race. My people have been at war with the Zametzi of the far north for generations, so long that we've forgotten why we fight; all we know is that we fight.

My people, and theirs, are vastly different. Our cultures, religions, abilities and even appearances set us apart. The Zametzi live in a frozen land where my people live on sand and in water; they wear fur and coats to their ankles where we dress in colors and thin chiffon. Our cuisine is a blend of fresh fruits and wheat-based dishes while they dine on dry meats and frozen vegetables. The north sport abilities of ice and fire while my people are blessed with creation. Where we have kings and queens they obey their Tsar and Tsarina. The royal house of the north are ruthless, soulless monsters; they are the Todoroki. The royal house of the south, the Yaoyorozu, are small but mighty and noble. I am a Yaoyorozu.

I am the last Yaoyorozu, aside from my mother, as my fathers slain body lays cold on the battlefield before me. Blood and fresh dew stained the unbroken blades of grass whilst bodies of both kingdoms decorate the landscape as if piecing together a puzzle. This was not an uncommon sight for me; since my twelfth birthday, I've walked the fields after the battles when possible. I pray for those who are gone and weep for those who are soon to be as they succumb to their injuries.

Family is important to my people, we cherish the love, hope and strength they give us. My father once told me this was the purpose of the royal family as well, to provide hope and strength for our people. Staring down at his lifeless body now, I found that I was unable to offer either as I felt the weight of his death pulling me to the ground. "Take him home." I choked on the words, sobs coming out in bursts as boiling tears trailed down my face.

Guards shuffled around me as a large hand was placed on my shoulder. "You should go home too." This was Tokoyami, my personal guard since I was eight and trusted friend. He was head of my guard and never left my side, always on the prowl for danger. He must know the pain I felt as he gave me a reassuring squeeze.

Normally, I would wander the fields for hours finding the poor souls who could not be saved. I'd kneel beside them to comfort them in their last moments no matter their allegiance. No one deserves to die alone. But today was different, I'd grown used to the fallen friends, but seeing my fathers void eyes as they stared at nothing shattered a part of me I was unprepared for. Tokoyami was right; I should go home with my father.

Turning, I prepared myself for the journey home until a strangled cry from further in the field, beyond my line of sight, caused my heart to quake even more. One poor soul was alone in a field amongst their fallen brethren, and from the sound they'd made, they too would soon be fallen. My guards were busy hauling my father's corpse, with great care, to notice and I stared at their backs as they progressed home. I turned back toward the cry, I would not leave this one to die, not alone.

Tokoyami caught me again, this time by the wrist, and gave a hard look. "Not that one, Milady." The way he'd said it caught me off guard. Some of these men and women on the field were friends of his, people he'd trained or met through his years of service, so his behavior was unusual. Unless he knew who the cry belonged to and felt they deserved to die alone.

I flashed a brisk scowl his way before I continued to make my way through the arrangement of bodies and blood looking for any sign of life. All to soon, my eyes fell upon the stark white head of man with bright red eyes and bloody frame. He was slouched with his back against a half-burnt tree and his limbs laid limp on the ground.

I stopped, understanding Tokoyami's previous hesitation. The white hair and abnormal eyes, these were traits that belonged only to the royal family of the Zametzi, just as obsidian hair, onyx eyes and fair skin were trademarks of my own family. This was likely the man who lead the attack on my father and his guards, killing at least twenty-five of our soldiers and our king as they made their way back home for the night. This man was a long way from home.

His name was Gregory Todoroki, youngest of the Zametzi princes, and here he sat bleeding out from a jagged slash to his abdomen only a few hours from our royal temple. "Not this one, Momo." At the sound of my given name, an informality, I knew Tokoyami was serious.

Here, amongst death, even my childhood friend could only see hatred. I turned on him then, as this was why a war that no one could remember how it began continued. "And why not Fukimage. He is suffering and in pain and a _child_. Nothing will ever change if we continue on this way." My whispering must had agitated the young prince, as he struggled to stand but gasped loudly in pain and groaned when he slumped back to the ground. Tokoyami's harsh eyes changed to understanding then to caution, but he gave me a nod and take a small step back.

The young enemy eyed us both, clearly alarmed by my guard's withdrawal as surely if I recognized him, he recognized me. I sat beside him and placed my hand over his, "Don't worry, I'm here now. You are not alone." Where his eyes were filled with hatred and caution before, now they turned sad and fearful, but that fear was not directed toward me; he knew he was dying.

He breathed out heavily and his eyes were filled with pain as he struggled to inhale. "Thank you." His voice was husky and dry, and I felt a cold numbness move over my hand. A thin layer of ice covered my fingers and was crawling up my palm. It was unnerving; the children of my people are told that the magic of the Zametzi will freeze you, leaving you in a place between life a death cold and alone. Or, if the Zametzi was a Todoroki, then they could freeze you and burn your soul apart all at once. "I'm sorry…I can't control it anymore." In a way, to not be able to control one's magic, I found that more frightening than the gash in his stomach.

"Shhh, young one, you have nothing to fear, my hand will thaw." Tokoyami came forward slowly, kneeling beside us as the young prince begged the unthinkable of me. He asked me to end the pain. He asked me to end his life.

I wasn't prepared to take such an inexperienced life, this was not something I could do for the child. Instead, I began to sing to him, if I could not cure his pain, then perhaps I could distract him from it. I could comfort him in his last moments.

It wasn't until I felt the chill in my hand lessen that I stopped singing and watched as the youngest Zametzi prince drew his last breath. Gregory Todoroki was dead. My father was dead.

Death will not bring peace, only more sadness and despair. I doubt this is something the head of the Todoroki family will understand, as he was not known for his kindness and understanding. No, Shoto Todoroki was not known for his kindness, rather he was known for his cold demeanor. So how would he react when he found out his youngest brother had been slain in the heart of the Ceraci nation, my kingdom.

 **I've based the cultures and regions of the two kingdoms on real countries, so see if you can guess them! Also, the plot is honestly not my own, I got the idea from a book I read, so see if you know the book too! If you have any questions, review or PM me! I love reviews! Thanks!**


	2. Chapter 2 : Dagger

**Thanks to the three people who submitted a review on my first chapter! Input really helps!**

The fire shone and mocked me all at once; its light could be seen for miles serving as a bright beacon to remind the people their king was dead. The wood of the pyre sputtered and cracked underneath the heat of our gazes or perhaps it was the heat of the fire. Its warmth spread over my face in a sickening way as if mimicking the warmth of my father, spreading over my skin in a warm glow.

My mother stood beside me donning a golden crown set with sapphires and other jewels that labeled her queen however, my birthday was soon approaching. Soon, that crown would be atop my dark hair and not hers. Her long dress was stained with ash and smoke as it blew by us; mine was likely in a similar state, obscuring the dark navy color of our dresses.. "You're not to go back to the fields. Do you understand?" Her voice was solid, but I could hear the pain.

She knew what going to the fields meant to me, what singing to the dying meant to me, but I was the last to inherit the throne, I understood. "Yes, mother." My own voice was not nearly as solid, and my body shook slightly. I wanted to hold my mother, I wanted to be alone, I wanted this war to end. Truthfully, I didn't care how, I just wanted peace.

It had been hours, and neither my mother nor I had moved from where we stood, staring out at the long burnt out pyre. The sun had begun to rise coloring the sky with light, and our guards were swaying on their feet in exhaustion, yet neither of us dared to move because moving, leaving, meant accepting that my father was gone. We simply listened to the moaning of the wind as we felt the morning breeze against our skin.

It was chilly, slightly, due to the thinness of my skirt, or maybe because the loss of my father left an emptiness inside me, a new part of me that he had shielded from the world that would now forever be exposed to the wind. I wasn't sure, but the feeling left a single question in my mind. Was the Zametzi heir left with the same feeling from the death of his brother, or was Shoto Todoroki's heart so shriveled that he felt nothing for even his brother?

Our tears had dried hours ago as Tokoyami stood tentatively at my side, as always, his mere presence serving to protect me. He'd taken a few steps toward me, his silent way of telling me it was time to leave my father as ashes in the wind. My mother got the hint as well as she sighed and turned to face me, "Yaoyorozu, soon you will be queen, and this kingdom will look to you. There will be a council meeting in the morning tomorrow, be there. It's time you started to take part in the war as well." Her tall stature was thin in my view, barely breaking the horizon. She turned, waving on her guards to follow as I said nothing in return. Shuddering, I wrapped my hands around myself, I wasn't yet ready to accept that centuries of death would be mine to continue in only a matter of months.

"It's time Yaoyorozu, the market will open soon, and you've people to see." Tokoyamis voice broke the silence after my mother had left. He and a few of his hand-picked guards were all that was left beside me, and my fathers blackened pyre. These were the men who would be with me always, or half of them, as they were normally my guards during the day. How tired they must be from having to walk the fields with me, then stand beside me all night looking to a fire for a man that would never rise again.

After a long breath, I too turned away and left my back facing the dead. I wouldn't sleep, not tonight, I needed company. "Send your men home Tokoyami, I am not going to bed tonight." He nodded, and dismissed them, as they would be replaced once we reached the temple. I knew it was no use to ask him to leave though, he never would; so together, he and I walked back to the temple in silence as I'd lost my will for words during the night.

Our royal temple sat at the edge of the city, facing the people with its back to the sea. It was a grand building with columns and archways taller than most other buildings in the marbled city. Even our architecture differed from the Zametzi as our buildings were elaborate decorated in painted murals and golden embroidery. Fountains and plazas were numerous in the city, as were large trees that towered over our streets creating shade to cool the sidewalks. Most buildings were open and airy, allowing the wind to wave through homes and give the people breathtaking views of our southern waters. The city was arranged in a semi-circle with the coast as a barrier and the temple at the center almost like a compass. No matter where you were in the city, the temple could always be seen, which made finding the market easy.

The market was centered around the base of the temple in a large plaza, and even a lucky few vendors were allowed to sell their trade on the first floor of the temple, where the most expensive and lavish shops were held. To sell within the temple, one needed the queen's permission, it was something my mother had done when she was first crowned. She'd dedicated the first floor to the people, and thus the market began.

It opened at seven every day and I enjoyed the vacancy of the early morning as the shopkeepers set up their merchandise preparing for the bustling later hours. Today however, was unlikely to be profitable, and I doubted many of them would even open their stands. But those prideful few, those who knew me well or perhaps wished for the comfort of normalcy, they would be out as they knew I would be too. The market was one of our capitals many wonders, and my people were well known for their craftsmanship in linens and jewelry, people from many lands came just to see the market and left with lavish dresses and necklaces.

While visiting the market was one my greatest joys, I never truly enjoyed the portion within the temple, it was the common folk I enjoyed, and there were a few shops I visited frequently. And this morning, it was their company I sought.

Tokoyami followed silently behind as I walked past a few closed shops making my way to one near the coast. It was a position I had given to the keeper many years ago. I enjoyed the shop, and his son was a meek little blacksmith, and my friend. His family made the most ornate swords and daggers, ones even Tokoyami coveted; there were times I thought he enjoyed the shop more than I.

I spotted the meek boy as we approached, but he wasn't opening the shop, rather he was packing some things away and his father was nowhere to be seen. It was a small stand, open and with a covered table to lay his merchandise on to protect it from bad weather. Now, the boy was throwing a large blanket over the entire stand.

"Deku, are you planning on closing the stand today?" He turned abruptly, and I saw fresh tear stains down his cheeks while his bouncy hair seemed less buoyant. Instantly I was alarmed, this poor boy had never met my father and while I knew he was empathetic, it seemed unusual that he'd cry so much from his death. He sniffled and wiped his nose before stepping up to me.

"Good morning Milady." He shoved his hands in baggy brown pants casting his head downward before he brought his eyes back to mine. "I'm afraid I won't be much company today Milady, I'm sorry." He was trying to keep a straight face but the freckles that dotted his face moved ever so slightly as his lips quivered.

My dress swished by my legs as I stepped closer to him, "Deku, what happened?" He griped his vest tightly drawing in a shaky breath. Different incense filled the streets as the people came to life, opening what few shops would open today. Lights flickered on, and people nodded their heads in greeting to my presence, yet no sounds were heard except a few small whispers.

Deku turned back to the stall and picked up a small box neatly wrapped in a gold and blue cloth, turning it over in his hands a few times before turning back to me. "I was making this for my father but…he's not coming back." Perplexed, I faced Tokoyami whose face was hard and confused, then back to Deku. I wanted to know, to understand what had happened to his father, but his quaking form told me he needed comfort as much as I did.

I walked forward and wrapped my arms around his back, burying my face in his curly hair and hugging him tightly. "He was a good man, like my father." He sniffled and laid his head on my shoulder but remained still otherwise, until he withdrew, taking large steps back, almost hesitant to accept my comfort.

Deku brought the small wrapped gift up, gazing at in sorrow. "Yes, he was a good man, always knew what to do." He extended his arm, passing the box to me. "I think he'd want you to have it. I hope you'll never need it, but if you ever do, I hope its there to help you." Smiling, Deku laughed lightly. "I know there's good in you, I've seen it. Thank you, Milady." With those light remarks, he picked up his bags, and walked on into the crowd. Just like that, he was gone, and as fleeting as he had been, so had the comfort I so dearly sought.

Deku had left the small box in my hands, and I studied the cloth around it. It was Ceracian made but of low quality, likely meant for cleaning blades. The gold and blue accented each other well and reminded me of my family, as they were our family colors. "That was…unusual." Tokoyami walked beside me staring off after Deku, utterly confused by the blacksmiths behavior.

The box was heavy in my hands and I felt the soft fabric as I traced the swirling patterns with my fingers. "Yes, it was. But I understand his pain." I didn't look up to face him, I only started to unwrap the gift and take in it's beauty. It was a black steel framed box set with rubies and garnet in boxy patterns and heavy detailing. Gasping, I was struck by the abnormality of it. It almost looked Zambetzi with its red hues and black steel, it looked so out of place beside the simple golden cloth of my culture, yet so beautiful in an undefined way. Truthfully, I'd never seen anything like it, and I twisted and turned the box over in my hands many times before opening it.

Tokoyami had noticed the peculiar box as well as his eyes had settled on it. "Its strange…but beautiful." He grunted in response, hesitant. Carefully, I twisted the latch on the box feeling the cool metal against my fingers and lifted the top open. The latch was a circular design set with a blue zircon, and as it came up I was again struck by an unusual, yet beautiful, gift.

In the box sat a long thin dagger of black steel against a red velvet pillow. The hilt was decorated in a fancy pattern with twisting stones, both garnet and blue zircon. It was the combination of the garnet and zircon that struck me most as it was a semblance to the Zambetzi just as sapphire and gold were to us. How peculiar an item it was but stunning all the same.

The box and the cloth together, they were Ceraci and Zambetzi, a combo that looked as beautiful together as they did apart and complimented each other in such a wonderful way I wished our countries had never been at war. "It's heart breaking, looking at what could have been." Tokoyami either didn't hear me or had nothing to say as he kept silent, eyes focused on the box before he made a sharp turn and motioned for me to follow.

"let's head back, you might not want it, but you need sleep." He's always been the silent type, and I watched his back as he retreated to the temple. Tokoyami himself looked as if he didn't belong as he dressed in long black coats, still made of thin material, but so dark he was nearly invisible at night. He had a pointed face, and unusual magic; people of my kingdom were blessed with creation, but unless they were a Yaoyorozu, they could only make one material. Tokoyami could make a shadow, a living being with a mind of its own at times, his magic was something we had never seen before until him. It suits him though, just as the dark cloak he wears and the spiky blackness of his hair.

He turned back to me, scowling as I had yet to follow him. He stood still, eyeing me, waiting on me, and I sighed closing the box and sealing away the dagger before walking after him. With it in my hands, I thought only of the conflict between my people and the Zametzi. I could feel it growing with every passing day and the hatred we each felt for the other was ever unfading.

Yet, watching the Zametzi prince's life fade from his eyes in my hands brought me no joy, no relief from this nightmare, only more sadness. If this was how it felt to take a life, to lead an army into battle and tell my people to lay waste to the north, then how could I be queen when I was left so conflicted? How could I rage war against Shoto Todoroki, kill him and the rest of his family?

Tomorrow, at the council meeting, would be the first test of my strength. The first real test of whether or not I could lead my people against the north; settling my unease aside, I was determined not to fail.

 **Hey again! So be sure to review and let me know what you think, your input could greatly affect the outcome of my story! Also, if you have any questions or anything you can always PM me!**


	3. Chapter 3: Council

My hair had been braided in two dark strands and my personal maid clipped them behind my head in a spectacular updo. She hummed lightly to herself as she finished my hair and gripped my shoulders bringing her face level with mine resting her face on one of her hands. "You're all set Milady!" Her chipper voice was loud beside my ear and I lightly flinched away faintly smiling and laughing. Her cheerful presence was a good distraction from yesterday's events, and my haunting dream.

It was a reoccurring issue for me, to be caught in lucid nightmares and be unable to wake up despite the fear. Most times they were about the men I'd encountered in the fields, asking why I sent them to die, and tonight wasn't much different. However, one dream during the night stood out as particularly frightening, but unusually alluring.

I'd been in my room, woken by a deep chill that traveled across my skin and caused my breaths to come out as white puffs. I remembered rising in my bed, bending at the waist and bringing my knees to my chest before I felt it, the cold stare and piercing gaze. I'd looked around the room finding a single crystal blue eye in the darkness. It was a beautiful color, and I gasped in it's gaze as I'd seen nothing like it before.

It tilted slightly, and I remember wanting to reach out to it, but I was frozen by its gaze, startled into a submissive stillness. Then I heard it, the masculine voice that came from the eye, "You won't scream?" it had asked, almost perplexed by my actions.

The eye was close to where my windows would have been, and I found myself wishing they would've been open to allow the glowing moonlight to enter my room. But alas, without the moonlight, the room was pitch black and in darkness, only allowing the brightness of the single blue eye to be seen. And I found myself basking in not only its frightening cold aura, but also in its beauty, as it was perhaps the most mesmerizing eye I'd ever seen.

I remember thinking what a shame it was that it had been just a dream, for I would have loved to see eyes that color, and I suddenly found myself unafraid of the dream, rising to my knees on my bed, straightening my back. "Because of a dream? No, I won't scream, dreams have lost their effect on me." I remember whispering back to the gem stone that hovered in the darkness.

It had laughed in that mellow voice it held, rising slightly, squinting almost curiously. "You think me a dream?" Never before had my plaguing nightmares responded in such a fashion, and I found my bones rigid at the sound of the eyes voice.

I remember reaching out to the eye in an attempt to touch such a beautiful thing amidst such darkness until again the eye laughed somberly, freezing me in place. "What else could you be?" I paused for a while, just staring at the blue. My voice was small as my body was unable to produce anything larger than a quiver or whisper. "I've never seen anything so beautiful." The eye tilted again, first widening then returning the thin curious, squint.

It moved slightly closer; I could tell not by the movement of the eye, but by the added coldness it brought with it. "First you call me a dream, then you call me beautiful." I remember feeling an iciness reaching out to me, touching my cheek lightly. My body did a curious thing then; instead of pulling away instinctively from the low temperature, I found myself leaning into the icy touch.

While I could see no face to accompany the eye, no lips, I could feel the smile that graced the lips of the phantom eye. "Can you sing?" it asked, almost astounded by my actions. I remember closing my eyes and falling into the touch at my cheek even more, wishing the eye could offer more than a simple chill at my cheek, before returning my onyx gaze to its blue stare and feeling the ice wash over my body.

My breaths were irregular and my heartbeat fast as my lips parted and I felt the frost crawling, making its way down my neck to my waist, holding me up in the hidden blackness of the night. "Yes." I breathed out, my voice low and unable to say anything else in the frigid temperature that floated around me.

The eye seemed pleased, happy with me, as it again came closer, only noticeable by the increased shivering of my thin body. I felt my bed shift slightly, as if there was an added weight near me, crawling toward me, and I felt my head tilting up to look at the blue eye, only inches away now. "Sing to me." It'd demanded, firm in tone but low in volume. It was so alluring, so tantalizing in its seductive gaze that I found myself unable to deny it it's request.

I found myself singing to the blue eye, falling deeper and deeper into its teasingly attractive crystal color. After that, I don't remember much, just the feeling of dryness within my throat as if I'd been singing for hours, sharing my voice with the unpaired coldness floating above me. I'd woken with a sore throat and frosty skin.

I stayed in bed for nearly an hour, attempting to warm myself and recover from the dream I'd had that night, only recovering when my maid entered with a warm pitcher of coffee and a bright smile, welcoming me to the new day. I felt a slight squeeze at my shoulder then, reminding me that I was now fully awake and expected to be at the council meeting soon.

"Thank you Ochaco; it's beautiful, as usual." I commented, placing my hand on top of hers as we looked at each other in the ornate oval mirror that sat on my marble desk. Most of the furniture in my room was made of a sleek white hued marble with golden details and embroidery. The domed ceiling was easily two stories above my head and large thin rectangular windows that sat open reached nearly from the ceiling to the floor, allowing me a view of the ocean waves below. See-through golden curtains hung billowing lightly with the breeze tickling my legs as they reached out from my window.

Ochaco smiled, giggling and made her way over to my large bed and smoothed out the blue and gold detailed fabric. My bed frame resembled a large shell; it was a gift from my father when I grew old enough to have such a large bed. He'd told me I could sleep in the sea, something I cherished as I loved to float on waves, feeling their coolness as it lapped against my skin. It calmed me, and so did the shell bed I slept in.

"You need new flowers in your vases, I'll have them sent up soon!" Ochaco spun her head over her shoulder winking at me as her brown hair flew with her head. She was a small girl and knew me best aside from Tokoyami; her parents were architects and the designers of my room. That was how we met, and soon I fell in love with her charisma, so I invited her to be my personal maid which she happily obliged claiming she could help her parents better this way.

As royal architects and the heir's maid, she could afford more than the meek boy from the day before, that much was evident in the differences in their attire. Where he wore cheap materials and solid colored clothing, she wore a silk skirt tied at her waist in a small knot with an opening in the legs where the material overlapped. It was light pink in color with a leafy pattern in navy and hung just below her belly where a slab of skin was exposed between her shirt and skirt. The same navy colored the thin crochet short sleeved top that hugged her body and it went well with the navy and pink bracelets she wore every day.

This sort of dress was a regular for my people, men wore their chests open through unbuttoned vests while women wore flowy skirts and short sleeved shirts that normally didn't completely cover their stomachs. Only in the winter when it was cold enough did my people cover their arms and torsos, yet even then it was rare that we ever wore coats or jackets, aside from Tokoyami and our guard of course.

The royal family was no exception to this way of dress, as what I currently wore came up to my neck where it tied behind me while my back was open from shoulders to lower back. There, my dress hung loosely over my legs in white and gold chiffon that clashed with my toned skin well but blended with the dangling pearls I wore in my ears.

Lacey brown leather sandals climbed up my ankles and I stood ready to accompany my mother to the council meeting this morning. "Ochaco, does the kitchen have any fresh croissants made?" perhaps I could sneak in and grab some breakfast before I attended the meeting. I had gone to bed without supper, not feeling ready to eat just yet, and felt slightly faint.

She laughed covering her mouth, bracelets jingling as she brought her hand up. "Oh Yaoyorozu, you're such a goof sometimes!" We both appeared startled as a light tapping sounded from the double doors.

A gruff 'ahem' was heard, and we both smiled realizing it was Tokoyami, who remained in the hallway. "I hate to interrupt Milady, but you'll be late." My eyes widened at the time and I scrambled about my room grabbing my golden arm cuffs and tiara, which was simpler than my mother's crown. It had two sapphires set in a golden pattern with a larger sapphire between them and just under the single point in my tiara. But that was all, as I said, simple; it was perhaps the only simple thing among my possessions.

I laughed out to Ochaco while I placed the dainty thing in my hair, "Wish me luck!" and whished out the door in one flowy movement grasping Tokoyami's arm and taking a hurried pace down the breezy hallways. We chatted lightly as we flew through the temple quickly, passing guard after guard stationed by every open window as the four guards allocated to my personal detail shuffled behind us.

Just as our capital was famous for our market it was also famous for its impregnable temple and city, which is why my family moved in. Although it faces a bay connected to the sea, there's a rough current preventing outsiders from entering and shallow rocks that would breach any boats that would be large enough to beat the current. There's the added fact that it's open water, if there were any intruders, we'd see them for miles before they were upon us; the only way to enter the bay was through our canal which was monitored at all times.

On the other end of the city, two large walls, an inner and outer, separated our capital from the rest of the world. The outer wall was more to give us time to react, it was the inner wall that protected us. It had a two-way lock system and was made of an alloy so strong no weapon had pierced it in three generations, but was coated in a thick marble like white paint. Both walls sported a warning system on them, both fire and bells, each an equal distance apart, to alert the rest of the city of danger.

Beside that, the marble of the temple is too sleek to scale without damaging the walls which would create too much noise as our guards are posted at every window that's only a few feet apart. They'd be too easily seen against the white marble; also, there were only two stair wells leading up to the higher floors out of the market. One for commoners, and one for the royal family; there are guard checkpoints at both of these stairwells preventing any unwanted persons from entering. To add to this, in order to get from the common wing of the temple to the royal wing, there was only one grand hallway on the second floor, again with guard checkpoints at both ends. While many have tried, not one man has ever been able to infiltrate the higher floors of our temple, nor has any army been able to scale our capital walls.

This was the hallway Tokoyami and I had just passed through leading to the common wing to the south where business and prayers were held. The council meeting was to take place in the highest room of the temple on the southern side; it was built like a gazebo with a large round table in the center and various maps and bookshelves on the walls with hundreds of years' worth of history and information. One end of the round table was raised in a small, two stair fashion; this was where the leader of the discussion sat, my mother.

I made eye contact with her as Tokoyami and I walked in, the last ones to arrive as my other guards would have to wait outside. She feigned a calm and composed face, but I could see the grief in her eyes as I sat across from her. Tokoyami took his place behind me settling into a power stance; feet apart and hands clasped together before him, chin up, demonstrating to the world that he was my guardian.

The others at the table were various military leaders, chief advisors and a historian I knew well. He was my mother's prized find in a library as his knowledge of both the past and present had won us many battles; wherever my mother was he would likely be near. He was the one to stand first, tall body striking up toward the high ceiling, as I approached the table in a symbol of respect and everyone followed suit welcoming me to the meeting, but as the rest of us sat he remained standing.

He cleared his throat and walked toward me, "Pardon me Milady, but I should wish to pay my respects to your father and offer my condolences to both you and the Queen." He bent rigidly at his hips before rising back up and strode to his seat as I thanked him with a light nod and wave of my hand. Clearing his throat once more, he stroked some papers he had before him. "Now then, I believe the purpose of this meeting is to discuss the best way to avenge our King, and I believe I have an idea." He looked around the room, dark hair swaying with him, and stopped with his eyes looking toward my mother for approval.

She nodded and brought her hand out in a reassuring gesture, "Go on Nighteye, I trust your intellect." With her praise, the others at the table inched closer to listen to him for if their Queen found him worthy, then surely, they should listen carefully.

He thanked her before continuing, "The Zambetzi rely heavily on exports and trade for food, otherwise all they have to eat are dry meats, fish and frozen vegetables that never seem to be in season. For this reason, famine has always been one of their biggest concerns and I believe we should exploit this. If we can cut of-"before he could finish though, he was interrupted by a loud mouth general I didn't like with a big beard.

A thunderous sound erupted from the general as he slammed his fist against the shining table. "You think famine is enough to avenge our great King? No, we must go for a Todoroki! Only then-" Soon, he too was interrupted by another man, an admiral in our navy, something that was far superior than the Zambetzi's version.

"A Todoroki was killed, let's not forget that. The Zambetzi are bloodthirsty monsters, they won't appreciate one of their few remaining princes being slain. We should focus on our defense, increase the guards and prepare-" It was mess, man after man interrupting another, throwing their opinions to the others faster than I could keep up and I found my head being whipped from left to right until Tokoyami placed a welcoming hand on my shoulder and gave me a small smile.

I heard my mother's voice then, silencing the many men in the room, and calming the tides of the conversation all at once. Instantly, she had restored balance in the room. "Nighteye, I should like for you to continue, and then I will hear what you two have to say." She eyed the two most vocal men, the admiral and the general, before waving Nighteye on to continue.

He gave the men a cold stare before continuing, his serious nature coming out like a flame to a match. "As I was saying, if we can cut off their supply of food, the people would grow hungry creating social uproar; the Todoroki will have to spare guards just to secure their rule and keep the people from storming the palace." I found that hard to believe. During one of my excursions to the fields, I remembered singing to a Zambetzi soldier as he died.

The man didn't say much through his pain, but it was enough to tell me that he, and the rest of his people, were solely devoted to the Todoroki. They saw the late Tsar, Enji Todoroki, as a powerful force and military prodigy and they were not wrong. Had he not gone mad, my life likely would've gone very differently. They viewed their soon to be Tsar in much the same way, a calm and cunning leader with as much strength as a hundred men; they loved and admired him. The man the soldier had described to me and the one I'd been told about since birth were one in the same, yet the two sounded so vastly different I remember laughing at the man as he laid dying and pouring his heart out.

He'd said just a few words to me that day, but I knew from those words that the Zambetzi people would never rise against the Todoroki. It was his last sentence, said with his dying breath, that struck me the most, "You remind me of our great mother." He was referring to the Tsarina, and it both startled and confused me as not much was known about the Tsarina, just that she had taken up power over her country after her husband went mad but only by name. While she sat on the high throne, the world knew it was her son who held the true power.

I hadn't realized I'd zoned out most of the council meeting until I hear my name from across the table spurring me back to reality. "And Yaoyorozu, what do you think?" My mother eyed me wearily as the general held an angry smirk toward Nighteye who lazily ignored the piggish man, I much preferred the admiral over that oaf, and it seemed Nighteye did as well.

The whole table was looking to me now, and panic settled in my feminine frame. "Well..." I was uneasy and almost felt sick; I always got this way when I was put in the spotlight, not a good quality for royalty. It was Tokoyami who gave me the confidence to speak, a gruff, and fake, cough came from behind me and I knew it was his way of telling me to continue. "I don't like the idea of a frontal assault; it is nearly winter, and it would take at least two months to gather our troops and march into the Zambetzi lands. The land there is not kind to foreigners, it'll freeze and get buried in snow so deep our men will sink like heavy rocks in quick sand. We'd be fools to attack the Zambetzi in the winter on their own turf, we've tried before, and it ends with our men in wintery graves and no bodies to return to their families. Rushing in will get out soldiers killed and raise the Zambetzi morale while, on the other hand, cutting off their food would do the opposite. It would weaken their morale and our soldier's lives would be spared." I watched as expressions around the room changed; my mother looked deep in thought, but pleased, the general was less so and sported a gruff pout leaning back in his seat. Only Nighteye remained the same. "However, they would never rise against the Todoroki." This sparked a reaction from everyone at the table.

Nighteyes brows rose, many men gasped, my mother drew her head up in shock and the general let out a loud laughter. "And what would the Zambetzi hounds know of loyalty, eh? They say their king dines on the rotten bones of our dead soldiers; who would follow a man who doesn't even have the decency to bury the dead." The room erupted in laughter and I was both insulted and disgusted by the general's remark.

I didn't care what he thought of the Tsar, but to ignore his men's strength and bet on their insubordination was utterly reckless and arrogant. "Mighty words from a man whose men say he smells eerily similar to their excrement." Suddenly, I had never appreciated Tokoyami's quick wit more and I covered my mouth so as not to laugh openly. The general was quick to his feet, ready to brawl with my friend, who was unfazed and hadn't moved a muscle, but my mother silenced the room once again. I turned back as Tokoyami gave me a confident smirk and wink before returning to his neutral stare.

When the room was silent, I continued, "I don't believe attacking the Zambetzi traders and ships is the best idea either. The Admiral was right when he said they will be out for blood in the name of their prince thus, I think it best to shorten the supply before it reaches them." The room grew perplexed aside from Nighteye and my mother, whose face changed in an understanding and pleased manner respectively. Clearly, they both knew where I was going with this. "If I'm correct, the Zambetzi get most of their food from the feudal lords of the western islands. They are men only concerned with money, something we have plenty of since our market began, and they don't like the cold much. I doubt it will be difficult to change their allegiance." Men around the room began smiling and nodding in approval while the general was still sending a nasty glare behind me. "We buy the food from the western lords, leave them with nothing to sell to the Zambetzi. Not only will they starve but their anger and pride will keep them from buying from another source, and the feudal lords will make them waste their gold overpaying for their food in order to get it before us." Before long, plans had been finalized and my mother approved of my plan, stating that I would make a fine queen. I had yet to be convinced.

The meeting was dismissed, and men filed out the room and down the stairs, ready to begin negotiations with the western lords. I sat for a moment, silent and enjoying the breeze the many windows let in allowing the gravity of our next move to sink in. Our actions, if they prevailed, would cause many to starve; how many would lose a son, a father? These actions were no longer just my kingdoms, they would be mine, my idea; how many would suffer because of me? I closed my eyes willing tears for my father, for the dead prince, for those that would starve, not to form. A small whisper in my ear tickled my neck forcing my eyes open, "I think I made an enemy today, you're welcome." Tokoyami's light remark brought a small smile to my face; he'd always been good at noticing when I needed help, and always knew how to help.

He held an arm out ready to escort me down to the market, but we were stopped when the admiral approached us with a bow. He was a burly man that donned a dark, woven navy shirt with shiny golden buttons down to his pants. I could see part of an anchor tattoo on his left bicep, detailed in its black ink, and he seemed the epitome of a navy admiral. "Milady, a word if you may?" He waved toward a window with one hand while his other sat behind his back. I nodded taking Tokoyami's arm and following the admiral who placed his hands on the window frame gazing out at the city.

The people could be seen going about their days however, many had slouched shoulders or dreary faces and wore dull colors. They were in mourning; just as the Zambetzi would never betray the Todoroki, my people would never betray my family. "I believe you'll do excellent things as our queen." The admiral didn't face me, he merely kept his gaze toward the people and I accepted his compliment with a small 'thank you' and smile before his deep voice continued. "I've been told you're to officially take over the kingdom on your birthday; is this true?" His face turned to me with his question in a serious manner.

Part of me was alarmed, and I could feel Tokoyami tense; perhaps he knew what was concerning the admiral. "I am. The coronation will take place the night of my birthday." As I said this, the admiral nodded and returned his gaze to the city.

I looked out also, mesmerized by the various lives of my soon to be citizens as silence overtook us. I could hear my mother and Nighteye somewhere behind me suffering through the general's complaints about our plans. "I see…" the admiral broke the quiet peace before sighing and turning his whole body to face me completely. "Then I'm to assume you'll be taking the crown without a king?" My eyes turned wide and I too tensed, feeling Tokoyami had yet to relax; the admiral seemed to sense my discomfort as well. "I only ask with your best interests in mind. Your mother is a wonderful queen, but she gets older by the day and aside from her you are the last Yaoyorozu. This kingdom will never accept anyone else as their ruler; you must have an heir, a child, and for that you need a king." While I despised his question, I knew he asked with only good intentions.

Truth was though, I hadn't found anyone yet to love, it was a fleeting emotion. I sighed and turned to Tokoyami who remained still before looking back at the admiral. "If it comes to it, I will take a man of the council's choice as my…but until then, I don't have anyone in mind." The admiral gave me a sad smile but was displeased with my response.

He shook his head lightly, "I'm afraid it's already come to that. I believe you have the right to know that many from the council are preparing their sons to present them to you. You're a stunning woman Milady, no man could turn away from your beauty. But I fear that you will never find a man that will have the effect you have on all men, on you. Keep your eyes open Milady, but don't let the council cloud your heart." He bowed lightly, smiling and with an apologetic light in his eye. "Good day, Milady." With this he excused himself and paced out the door sending a respectful nod to my mother as he went.

Tokoyami followed the man with his eyes, ever protective, and I appreciated his calming presence yet again. The admiral's words shouldn't have affected me in this way, but they had me trembling; I knew I had many suitors, but I cared for none of them. This was something that had my mother growing in concern as she too was pushing me to name a husband and I felt awful, not having one to name. Truth be told, only Ochaco and Tokoyami truly understood me.

 **So this was kinda a long chapter! I like this length though, so if you guys like this length, then I can start making my chapters a bit longer which would progress the story faster! Also, when I posted the first chapter, I already had chapters 1-3 written, now I have chapters 1-7 written! But you'll have to wait for them; the reason I'm not just posting all of them now is because I want to hear y'alls opinions of the individual chapters first; what y'all say can have a great impact on what I post! I've already read one review that's made me go back and think about a few things I had written, so review as much as possible please! In your reviews let me know if you like this length (about 8 pages or 5000 words) or prefer the shorter length (about 4 pages or 3000 words)! And just let me know your opinions in general; whether you like the progression so far, if you want a certain ship (I MIGHT consider it), or what you'd like to see happen? I'd like to know these things cause, although I already know where the story's going, your opinions could change a few minor details here and there! So, thanks for reading! PS: If y'all want longer chapters, I'll likely go back and add things to chapters 4-7, maybe condesing it down to chapters 4-6! Personally, longer chapters would allow me to give more detail and add fluff, so let me know!**

 **Also, Im very curious about what y'all think of the dream Momo had; let me know!**


	4. Chapter 4 : Visitor

**Thanks so much for the support you guys, I can't tell you how helpful reviews are! A special thanks to MrClikk who asked a question about the story that's been bothering me for a while now and helped me figure out what to do about it! Also, special thanks to 17Konbro who asked a different question that's also been bothering me. In regard to that question, I need EVERYONE to read the note at the end of the chapter and to vote in my poll! Thanks!**

I held on to Tokoyami's arm lightly as we descended the common stairwell a bit dazed from the meeting just a few moments before. I'd hoped to make it to the market undisturbed as I was reeling from the prospect of marriage and my father's death, but I heard a young man's voice calling me from above. We halted on the stairs and Tokoyami held a hand up to the guards to stop the man from approaching me. Quickly, I pushed Tokoyamis' hand down telling the guards to let him come, I was royalty and had a duty to my people; my mourning would have to wait.

He stopped before two guards, panting and with his hands on his knees before he brought his joy filled eyes up to mine. "Milady Yaoyorozu, I must say it's truly an honor to meet you, I mean I've dreamed of this since like, forever…" the man kept blabbering on while Tokoyami and I shared an amused look; many others had done the same thing before when they first met me. I held up my hand, signaling for the man to be quiet, but he seemed rather oblivious as to what the signal meant. "..OH! right, I guess I did start blabbering there. Man, I'm sorry, I really didn't mean to. I guess I just got carried away, and I mean who wouldn't when they're talking-" He was surprised when I interrupted him laughing lightly.

"How can I help you, young man?" Tokoyami shook his head as I spoke, only slightly amused by the boy's behavior, but you had to know him well enough to see it, otherwise he just looked disappointed. The boy however, began to backtrack and wave his hands frantically.

His red hair reflected the sunlight brightly, and his smile lit up the stairwell. "No, oh no, no, no Milady, I'm sorry if I gave you the wrong idea!" Tokoyami and I shared a confused look before he continued. "I actually wanted a word with the great Sir Tokoyami." Instantly I saw Tokoyami retract as did I; I can't remember the last time anyone called my friend _sir._

This boy looked as if he worked on farms his whole life, dressed in airy, dark green pants and a brown vest, and it was amusing how he addressed Tokoyami who seemed less than pleased by him. "Fine. What is it you want?" He was short with the poor boy who seemed to deflate slightly, his broad shoulders lowering.

He blabbered a bit and ran his worn looking hands through his hair. "Well, uh, I wanted to try out for your guard, sir." His request wasn't unusual, many men had asked Tokoyami for a spot on my personal detail, yet it was unusual for a farm boy to ask such a thing; normally the request came from an experienced officer or at least a man who looked trained to fight.

Tokoyami huffed lightly and looked back to me incredulous. I shot him a disapproving glance before looking back at the farm boy; I was quite taken with the humorous effect he had on my friend. Tokoyami huffed again in annoyance, dreading the conversation to come but addressed the boy anyway, "Okay, boy, what kind of combat experience do you have?" The boy seemed to dwindle and Tokoyami crossed his arms over his chest already not liking where the conversation was headed.

The boy shuffled, likely embarrassed to respond. "Well, none actually…" He suddenly sprung to life as he brought a pointed finger to the air, jumping forward. "But I'm really strong and I can do tons of pushups! And my cousin on the farm taught me a few moves here and there in between-" Tokoyami put a hand in the boy's face silencing the him with startled wide eyes before they narrowed unhappily. His crossed stare didn't seem to rattle the boy a bit however, as the boys eyes were wide with excitement and you could see the wrinkles in his cheeks from his immense smile.

Clearly, Tokoyami wasn't willing to give the poor farmer a chance. "I'm sorry son, but if you've-" Once my friend began to shoot the poor kid down, the boy grasped Tokoyami's hand in both of his and pleaded with him. He dropped to his knees quite humorously simply falling to the ground without regard to his well-being, shocking every man in the stairwell and causing a small giggle to escape my lips.

"Wait, wait, wait please, just give me a chance! I won't let you down, I promise!" This boy was certainly adamant about joining my guard, and he wasn't wrong when he said he was strong. I could see the bare muscles of his arms and his vest was open showing his chest; it was obvious his strength was something he'd built, exercising for hours and the result was displayed by the toned muscles in his body. Even without any training, he'd likely be difficult to put down.

The boy was so young though, about our age actually, which was unusual for royal guards. Tokoyami was the youngest ever, a true prodigy, and he'd been the best guard on the force, at least in my opinion. Tokoyami didn't look impressed with the boy as he looked him up and down withdrawing his hand from the boys bitterly. He opened his mouth to speak, and I knew he was going to turn the poor farmer down, so I decided to do what I do best; cause Tokoyami trouble.

Tokoyami froze as I cut him off, clasping my hands together before my chest, voice dripping in bittersweet endearment. "He'd simply love to give you a chance!" The boy's exuberance shone from him like the sun and he jumped up taking Tokoyamis hand in one of his again shaking it violently and bringing his other hand to his bulky forehead in a rigid salute.

"Oh, thank you, thank you sir! You won't regret this, I-" The boy began to ramble again as Tokoyami retracted his hand, again, and held up inches from the boy's face to silence him. I didn't need to be able to see the boy to know that he still held that wide, toothy grin of his, or to know that his eyes were buzzing from elation.

Tokoyami eyed me wearily, unhappy, and let out a long breath through his nose before looking back to the boy. "I'll test you, but if you fail you're out. Understand?" He withdrew his hand, allowing the boy to ramble many confirmations until Tokoyami grabbed his face silencing him again, this time rather harshly. "The first part of your test is learning to have short, direct answers." His words were short and seething with irritation and he was scowling at the boy as he took his hand off and I burst into laughter completely amused by the whole interaction. The boy's happy-go-lucky aura wholly clashed with Tokoyami's dark, introverted personality.

The boy carefully nodded slowly with a wide smile, thrilled to be given a chance, while Tokoyami was glaring at me over his shoulder until he sighed and motioned for the boy and guards to move. "Follow me, if I'm to test you properly we'll have to head to the guard's grounds." With this, Tokoyami burst past me, not even making the offer to walk beside me, taking angry strides down the stairs. I laughed lightly jogging to catch up.

The farm boy chatted the whole way down annoying Tokoyami to bits; my poor friend was clearly not as taken with the farmer as I was. I realized then the boy's antics had distracted me from my father's death, and a true smile graced my lips. I stopped then and turned back to face the boy following closely behind me and he, and the rest of my guards, nearly crashed into me at my sudden halt.

I giggled again, amused by the awkward movements they were taking to back up and get out of each other's personal space. "Where are you from?" When I asked the question, the boy looked away from the backing guards and toward me, his eyes finding my own, and his smile grew exposing his pointy teeth.

He seemed ecstatic that I'd asked, chuckling for a brief second. "The southern fields, out by the valleys." I'd heard of it; it was said to be the most beautiful landscape in all of Ceraci. It was also where most of our food was grown, I loved the delectable fruits and vegetables they sent up to the capital.

Tokoyami had stopped on a few stairs below us noticing our halt. He growled, looking up and shaking his head before angrily stomping back up the stairs and taking my arm. "If you'll excuse her, we'll continue on." He gave me a long hard look meant to reprimand me, but I laughed instead, only making him huff in annoyance.

He yanked me down the last few steps and out the door into the market with the boy close on our heels, half surprised and amused by Tokoyami's actions. We traveled past many citizens and stands with laid out merchandise ready to sell, many waving or nodding toward me in greeting. They seemed deflated, but perked up once they saw me, and I was reminded what my father had said the purpose of the royal family was; to give the people hope. I made a mental note as we headed to the back of the temple to come back to the market later and offer my smile, and my hope, to all in need.

When we approached the large boxy building behind the temple, a guard stationed at the door held it open for us to enter, and the boy gasped in awe at the large training field before him. "This is where the temple guards live; they eat, sleep and train here every day. This is where you'll live, if you make it." I whispered to him and he nodded brightly still so happy.

All guards, both temple and royal, were housed and trained here. They were like a family, each separated by a different detail, either a royal family member or floor of the temple. While Tokoyami was the head of my detail, he was not the head of the guards family, rather he was the head of my branch and had earned the respect of the rest of the guards. As head of my branch, that put Tokoyami at second in command, just below his superior, the man who was the head of my mothers detail and oversaw all other details aside from mine, the head of the guards family. I'd always admired him as he was the man Tokoyami respected most; he'd never said it, but I could see the way Tokoyami looked up to the man and the way the man treated Tokoyami like his own son. He'd trained Tokoyami and they were very close.

Tokoyami whirled on us then approaching the boy with a pair of large wooden sticks in place of swords. "Here boy, this will be your weapon." Tokoyami shoved one to him and looked around at the other guards in the room, assessing each one looking for a proper opponent, before tossing the other to a new addition to the third-floor watch. "You, spar with the boy." The man caught the stick with ease, nodding to Tokoyami before taking his position on the floor ready to spar.

Various other men in the room, both off duty and not, circled around us, ready to watch the fight and looking for a thrill. The boy looked apprehensive and unsure for a moment but walked to the man with a fierce face and took a ready stance of his own. "Don't hurt yourself." Tokoyami called out to him, crossing his arms over his chest standing beside me before whispering down "This won't take long." I laughed lightly before tossing him a snarky remark back.

The boy was certainly inexperienced, but I had a funny feeling this boy would be a thorn in Tokoyami's side for more than just today. With a blazing speed, the older man launched at the boy jabbing at the air forcefully. The boy, shocked, jumped back before being knocked over hard on his back and losing his grip on the stick. Guards cheered and hollered while Tokoyami gave me a confident smirk happily watching the boy fail. I grimaced, not liking having to watch others inflict pain, but my expression quickly turned to one of amazement just as everyone else's in the room did.

The boy sprung to his feet, seemingly unfazed by his fall, and caught the stick coming at his shoulder before charging the temple guard, who was too close now to dodge the boys attack. Before we knew it, the boy had the guard gripped by the waist and hoisted in the air at least a foot off the ground. The man was throwing punches and kicks into the boy hitting his head, ribs and back, but nothing seemed to work before the boy threw the man to the ground with such force dust flew out from under him.

Shocked silence filled the room for a moment before my ears were greeted with loud cheering and clapping from the surrounding guards, each tossing in congratulations to the boy and play mocking the losing guard. Smiling, the boy rotated one of his arms testing it and backed away offering a hand to the man he'd defeated with an apology. The pair were exchanging small admiring words to each other when Tokoyami pointed to another young, but more experienced, guard telling the boy to 'do it again'. He was snarling, and I found Tokoyami's dislike of the boy utterly hilarious.

The new guard took his place in front of the boy, jumping from foot to foot with a cocky grin and a warning for the boy to watch out. He seemed ready to fight and confident he would win; even amongst the guards confidence and the hollers of the men around us egging his opponent on, the boys grin never faltered. Perhaps I could learn a thing or two from this farmer.

I was grateful when the match ended much the same way as the one before, with the boy being victorious. Truth be told, the boy lacked any form and was clearly untrained, but he was strong and unyielding. This match was harder for him though, as he panted with his hands on his knees. "If an untrained farm boy can beat your soldiers, how hard would it be for a Todoroki to walk in?" I laughed quietly to Tokoyami, and he huffed again angered by my playful comment. Beads of sweat were forming at the boy's hair line, yet he still held that wide smile showing off his shiny, pointed teeth which seemed point to Tokoyami, calling him out to the field in a challenge.

Tokoyami briskly walked up the guard who'd lost and snatched the stick from his hands, glaring at the man. He turned to the boy then, daggers in his eyes at having his men be made fools of by the untrained civilian. "You have talent, but it's raw and untrained." Tokoyami, still seething, twirled the stick in one hand expertly as he spoke, and the other guard backed away from the boy and Tokoyami as they both assumed their ready positions.

The room grew quiet as everyone knew Tokoyamis skill was unparalleled, many seemed to be genuinely worried for the boy. I knew better; while Tokoyami didn't like the boy, I knew he would never truly harm him. The boys smile faltered slightly but remained as he assessed the situation; he understood that sparing with a few temple guards was one thing but sparring with 'the great sir Tokoyami' was entirely another.

Tokoyami stood straight with one end of the stick on the ground slowly sweeping it across the dirt in a wide arc. Some would say he looked unprepared for the upcoming attack, but they'd be sorely mistaken; the boy made this mistake as he ran for my friend. Swiftly, Tokoyami had disarmed the boy and pinned him to the ground completely helpless in a single movement. The boy grimaced as Tokoyami held his arm behind him, clearly the looser in the fight. It had only taken Tokoyami a matter of seconds to defeat the boy once, and maybe two minutes to defeat him four or five times.

After the boy had suffered repeated defeats, Tokoyami stood tall not even panting while the boy was wiping sweat and small amounts of blood from his face. He had a busted lip from where Tokoyami had used his stick to knock the boy out for a couple of seconds. Yet, even after he'd been defeated, beaten and humiliated numerous times, the boy stood up, hands in the air, face and clothes soiled, and bright hair ruffled, ready to go for another fight all the while still smiling.

It was quieter in the room now; some guards having moved on and others having disappeared entirely. I'd expected them to stay and watch as long as possible, but I enjoyed the quieter atmosphere that allowed me to hear the conversation between the two fighters, well fighter and farmer, as they danced around each other.

Tokoyami then hit the boy harder than he'd been hit all day, and the boy collided with the ground in a painful crack. The boy'd lost all the air in his lungs from the hit and he looked around dizzily as he crawled to his hands and knees. Then, like a rising volcanoe shaken from the sea, the boy took to his feet, spiky red hair growing in height surpassing my own, resolute in the face of an admirable foe.

Tokoyami grew semi confused as his eyes darted over to me before returning the boy unsure as to why the boy, as he wiped dirt and blood from his face, smiled and chuckled. "What's your name, son?" I watched it happen; Tokoyamis anger dissipated and was soon replaced with a normal, indifferent attitude toward the boy. Respect; Tokoyami didn't give it out lightly, but watching the boy take failure after failure with a determined attitude and brush off the pain from each attempt like water on wax paper earned the boy a small amount of Tokoyami's respect.

The boys smile grew as he addressed Tokoyami. "Ejiro." He paused panting, "Ejiro Kirishima, great sir Tokoyami!" Tokoyami's neutral stare faltered slightly, disturbed by the boy's level of joy. This time, the boy addressed my friend as sir not out of the respect he clearly had for Tokoyami, but to playfully rile the fierce man up. In spite of the gaping skill level between them, the boy wasn't afraid of Tokoyami at all and treated him like a respected friend he'd known for years.

I laughed loudly as Tokoyami sent me another glare. "If you want on my guard, you're going to have to get use to calling me Tokoyami…and just Tokoyami. Now, again." Tokoyami was being hard on the boy, but he seemed to enjoy it as he took his stance once more. I could hear the rustling of the guards behind me as I watched the two continue to fight. They were growing in compatibility and it was evident in the way Tokoyami began to instruct Kirishima as the fought, telling him when and where to strike, that he intended to make Kirishima the newest addition the guard.

I was excited to watch their next match as Kirishima's unbounded happiness was growing and served as a great distraction from my earlier troubles, but I was interrupted when Ochaco came running toward me breathless, darting around the few remaining guards. "Yaoyorozu, I've been looking for you everywhere." She was pale, and her eyes looked slightly frightened as she grasped one of my hands in both of her own. While it was considered polite for those who knew me to refer to me as 'Yaoyorozu', it was something Ochaco rarely did. Instead, she had taken to calling me 'Milady' when were around others and 'Momo' when alone; it was a semblance of our deep friendship.

Her presence in the guards building and behavior had Tokoyami alarmed instantly, and he blew Kirishima's current charge off like it was nothing, ducking under him and avoiding the collision altogether before Tokoyami sprinted toward us. I recoiled slightly, unsure of what to do next. She was trembling slightly, and I took notice of the commotion happening around me. Guards were gathering their armor and filing out the door in a hurried pace.

Ochaco began to pull me away back toward the stairwell of the temple. "You're needed right away Milady, your mothers asked for you in the throne room!" I hesitated, looking back at Tokoyami as he came to a stop beside us, brows drawn down in concern.

He grasped Ochaco's shoulder lightly, calming her. "What's the matter? Is the Queen okay?" He instructed her to breathe a little and Ochaco let out a breath and shook her head from side to side, deflating from her fright.

"No, the queens fine." Tokoyami grew perplexed, but we both relaxed slightly, taking comfort in the safety of my mother while the farm boy tip toed up to us, standing patiently behind Tokoyami. Ochaco's behavior was puzzling though; what else could have made her so scared. "We have a visitor."

A visitor, that was it? I lightly smiled, not understanding her previous fear. "Unless this visitor is Shoto Todoroki himself, I don't understand why you're so afraid." My light smile faded however when she looked straight into my eyes with a plainness I'd never seen from her.

Gasping at the wideness of her eyes, I watched as she stared for a few moments before responding. "Not Shoto Milady, but his sister. Fuyumi Todoroki has asked to meet with you specifically." That's when it hit me; a Todoroki was in the throne room, waiting, for _me._

 **So, I know this chapter was kind of a medium length and didn't progress all that much, but I hope you enjoyed it! Also, I have a VERY important question for you guys, so I'm going to make a poll on my profile! My question is which ship would y'all prefer for Ochaco as both Bakugo and Deku would fit well with my story (just because I've mentioned Bakugo here doesn't mean he will be included in the story. If y'all like Bakugo/Ochaco more than Deku/Ochaco, then I will definitely add Bakugo into the story; this also doesn't mean that if Deku wins the vote that Bakugo definitely won't be in the story)? So please vote in my poll as I can't progress the story much further without knowing which ship I'm going to do for Ochaco however, it is possible that I'll decide just not to have a ship for her. I will listen to the poll and your opinions, but ultimately if the decision is even or near even, I will serve as the tie breaker. I do have a preference (obviously) between the Deku/Ochaco and Bakugo/Ochaco ships (I won't say which, yet), so if I have to be the tie breaker I will either decide not to ship her with anyone, or I will do the one I prefer. If you're not an official member, cast your vote in a review and I will tally it them up as well! I need help here; while I like her better with one of them, I don't really care which one I write in this story as I can see both being beneficial and utterly adorable! So, vote either Deku or Bakugo and let me which one y'all'd like to see in my story!**


	5. Chapter 5 : Fuyumi

**So, voting for the Ochaco poll will end when I post the next chapter, feel free to continue to vote! Also, review as much as possible as your thoughts are so helpful! I hope you enjoy the chapter!**

I paced twice hidden behind large double doors that lead to my mother…and a Todoroki. Tokoyami stood patiently, waiting for me to gather my wits as I fiddled with my hands taking slow small steps back and forth, unsure of what to do next. Should I enter throwing both doors out of my way, feigning confidence, or should I quietly skirt around one door entering without a sound in the hopes _she_ wouldn't notice?

I could hear faint voices from the throne room, their words unrecognizable, but their voices were. I could hear my mother, she sounded disturbed and slightly agitated, the other voice was new, one I'd never heard until now. It could be none other than Fuyumi Todoroki; she too sounded agitated, but more so, and less disturbed but more annoyed. I shouldn't be doing this, listening to them as they waited on me; I needed to enter, but for that I needed courage.

As soon as the thought ran through my mind, Tokoyami stepped in front of me stopping my pacing. He gave me a hard look, stone cold like the marble beneath my feet but full of affection; even when I felt I had nothing, I always had him. He was my courage, he would protect me, if needed.

I let out a slow, steadying breath, dropping my hands to my sides and nodding to Tokoyami once. He too let out a breath and together with Ochaco we all stared at each other. They were my strength and I could feel the confidence in me building as I gazed at them. I felt Tokoyami's unwavering loyalty and Ochaco's eternal kindness flooding into me and pushing out the fear that dwelled deep within my body before my brows drew down slightly and my mouth set into a thin hard line from determination. Tokoyami nodded back to me, "You're ready" was all he said before he turned opening one door and holding it gesturing with a hand for me to enter after him. My steps were slow, and my eyes stayed on his as I entered, catching the last bit of conversation between the two women in the room while Ochaco stayed behind offering a small smile and a thumbs up.

"-for you. I came only for her, I want to speak-" Fuyumi's voice was silky smooth, but came to a stop as I entered and her head turned my way. The first thing I noticed was her peculiar hair; both white and red in color, tufts of ruby breaking the snow. Her eyes were the second thing I noticed, one dark gray and the other light gray; together her two features set her apart from the rest of her people and marked her as a Todoroki. A Todoroki, the family responsible for my father's death.

Her eyes were gentle as she held me frozen in place with a stare, and I noticed a small upward twitch to her mouth, almost sad. "Finally, here I thought you were just a myth!" She called to me, ignoring all others in the room, even all the guards frightened stares, Tokoyami's defensive glare and especially my mother's hatful eyes. How she was able to ignore the dozens of gazes all focused on her was beyond me and I found myself jealous of her ability. Was it because she was royalty? But then, so was I.

The third thing I noticed was that it wasn't just her physical features that were bizarre. She wore a long, woven dress that partially covered even her neck and stood out in the middle of my culture. It was a deep red that reached to her wrists and where the edges of it sat, her neck, wrists and the hem, you could see the puffy, white wool that covered the interior of the dress. Her hair had been braided in one long strand that fell over her shoulder ending near the blue zircon pendant she wore around her neck; even her shoes seemed out of place as leather boots barely stuck out from the hem.

She was unusual against the white and gold of my home, but beautiful, a ruby among pearls. My mind was instantly brought to a recent memory; the dagger, she was like the dagger I'd received from Deku. Unusual and exotic in the most stunning way, and although she different, she looked as if she belonged inside these marble walls, owned them in a way. Perhaps that was because she held her shoulders up in confidence, head straight and back unyielding as she sat on her folded legs over a small white cushion before my mother's throne.

I'd been staring for a while now, and shuddered lightly under her perusal stare, a chill running down my spine not just from fear. Her presence alone was enough to force the gentle breeze to become a frothy layer of air that hung around her; no wonder she wore wool. My shudder broke our eye contact, bringing us both back to the world.

She gave me a friendly grin, tilting her head lightly as she looked at me. "I'd been waiting here so long I thought the only reason you weren't here yet was because you never existed, yet here you are before my eyes! It's a pleasure to meet you, Momo Yaoyorozu." My name sounded funny through her thick accent, a roll on the 'r' and an exaggerated 'zu'. She inhaled softly, and her eyes found the ground before her as she frowned, then her chest rose slowly before returning to normalcy as she shook her head a little as if remembering a fond memory. "I've been dying to meet you." Her words were harsh this time, angry, and she looked back up to me with thinly pressed lips.

My mother sneered, whispering to the guard standing at the ready beside her before rising her hand and addressing the ruby. "You will speak to me, Fuyumi; why are you here?" The woman huffed as she tossed her head back to my mother, watching her for a few seconds with a deep frown. Guards in the room shuffled a bit at the deathly glare she sent my mother, who held her gaze like a stone statue. She gave my mother a mocking smile before looking back to me with a genuine one, full of teeth and with joy in her eyes.

Her glee was shocking to me; was she happy to see me? "How are you my dear? I hope you're well!" she what? Her behavior was peculiar, and I could say with complete confidence that I was not happy to see her. She frightened me, her kindness only adding to the effect. Singing to her dying brother in the field was one thing, seeing her alive, well and capable had me feeling much less charitable. I'd felt her brothers magic on my hand as his life faded, and I could feel hers in the air; I wanted to feel no more of it.

Her brows drew down unhappily, "What's wrong? Does your throat hurt?" While she asked the question, I could tell she was merely boding me to respond. She sat patiently, with her hands in her lap as her eyebrows returned to normal slowly and her small smile was growing by the second only boding me further. I watched the reflection of the sun against her zircon pendant create a blue shine on the stairs before my mother, and the color reminded me of the crystal water in our fountains and bay, a blue so blue and pure the mere sight of it was refreshing.

My chest rose as I took in air, readying myself for the conversation she was demanding. "I'm fine." I'd wanted to say more, but my words caught in my throat. I stepped up the stairs and finally stood at my mother's side as she smiled lightly, tilting her head again and looking me up and down in a fluid movement. Her gaze was as chilling as her magic, capable of freezing my soul without even coming near me.

The edge of her lips twitched up in pleasure, happy that I was engaging in her game. "Good. I'm glad." My mother interrupted our small battle, demanding to know why she'd come. Fuyumi's smile faltered again, and her nostrils flared as she breathed out heavily before snapping her head back to my mother. "If I wanted to speak with _you,_ I would have. Now, if you'll be quiet I'd like to talk to the soon to be queen, thank you." Her voice was no longer like silk, now it was like shattering ice, a sound I now found unbearable. Again, guards shuffled about, unsure of whether or not to strike or remove the ruby princess for her impertinence. Ruby princess. I liked the name for her as it suited her well aside from the blinding whiteness of her hair and skin, which was a porcelain color.

I swallowed a shaky breath; if she would not talk to my mother, then I shall ask her. I could see the anger rising in my mother, furious as she stood from her throne with a venomous glare. She opened her mouth to speak again but I quickly cut her off. "Why are you here?" I spoke slowly, unable to form words at a normal pace, and my voice was smaller than I'd wanted it to be, but at least it was there. Now, I found the courage to withdraw my arms from in front of me and dangle them at my sides, barring my torso to Fuyumi in an attempt to show her I was unafraid. I felt myself rise a little, legs and back straightening.

Fuyumi looked back to me, pleased at having been spoken to by me instead of my mother and perhaps by my spike in confidence. "I've come on behalf of my brother." At the mention of the Zambetzi heir, my heart rate quickened and my soul chilled. He was a dangerous man. Various gasps were heard while frighten expressions washed over the room; Fuyumi ignored them and continued. "He wants peace." That sparked a fire in the room; my mother went slack jawed, several guards gasped while some even laughed, servants and maids began to whisper, Tokoyami scowled, and I…I remained still. No one could have prepared me for that sentence; he wanted peace? Did he even know the meaning of the word?

I realized then that she brought no guards with her, likely to demonstrate the sincerity of her brother. She was alone amidst a kingdom of people who hated her, and weapons designed to do so. A lone ruby, thrown into the sands of my kingdom to negotiate with us, pearls so different from her even our gods were different.

My mother slightly recovered from her shock, shaking her head with a disbelieving smile and descended the steps stopping just at the base of them. "You expect me to believe your brother, _Shoto Todoroki,_ wants peace?" Utter hatred bubbled in his name when it came from her lips and an incredulous laughter came from Fuyumi. She shifted lightly on her cushion and clutched the pendant at her neck while her eyes searched mine for some unknown thing. It was unsettling.

Her eyes never left mine, "I could ask you the same question, Queen." Her words held little of the softness in her smile, and eyes turned as grim as her kingdom as they flickered between my left and right eyes, still searching. My mother was not pleased, furious by Fuyumi's lack of respect and disgruntled by her sudden appearance in our lands, in our temple. Fuyumi's remark set off a chain reaction in my mother, whose skin and eyes nearly turned red in anger.

My mother had crossed the distance between her and Fuyumi in seconds with vexed strides, stopping a few feet before the ruby princess. She stared down a Fuyumi from the bottom of her eyes, refusing to tilt her head down to look at her properly and forcing Fuyumi to place the back of her head against her back to keep eye contact with my mother. "Leave. I've had enough of your arrogance for one day, your kind are not welcome in my kingdom." My mother turned on her heel sharply, waving to her guards telling them to remove the ruby from the pearls, crossing the distance back to her throne.

Instantly, for the first time, I saw a genuine emotion course through Fuyumi; it was fear. It only lasted about a second, but I saw it, as plain and simple as the tiara on my head. She smiled again, then looked toward me and my blood ran cold; the fear in her may have gone, but now her eyes were left with regret. Our guards starlted her slightly as they grabbed at her arms dragging her up off the cushion and she bowed her head, thanking me for my time while already being shuffled out the door. Had she brought any guards, they would've been left behind with the pace our guards ran her out.

I was lost, caught by the prospect of peace; here there was a chance, granted an unlikely one, but an offer none the less. Who was my mother to just dismiss it like this? Who was I to let her? What if Fuyumi was sincere; what if her brother was sincere? Was peace really so hard to achieve that even when given the chance the offer itself was just out of my reach? I felt as it my soul was slipping out through my skin and crawling after the foreigner, grasping desperately at her for something I'd never known but coveted with every fiber of my being.

I was left watching the doors she'd exited, gasping for breath until Tokoyami reached for my upper arm and as my conscience came back to the world around me I saw the concern in his eyes. "You weren't responding." He was frowning, and his brows were drawn up. For the first time in my life, I ignored him, turning my head to my mother. Everyone in the room was staring at me; my mother was stopped halfway on the stairs to her throne looking at me with only her face, confused by my behavior.

My body and soul were ripping at the seams, so eager to follow the path of the ruby. If her brother was sincere my peoples suffering would end and his people wouldn't starve because of me. I could prevent this, maybe, but I could. Some part of me, some deep part well hidden for most of my life, felt I could trust her words. Perhaps this part of me was exposed by the death of my father, or perhaps it was from Fuyumi's fear and her brothers rattling death? I didn't care; it was the first time I found myself in favor of the Zambetzi over my mother. How dare she brush Fuyumi and her offer off her shoulder like it was no more than a speck of dust against her dress.

My mother tilted her head at me, and she looked like an ornament beside the golden throne and marble columns that her torso faced, a glittering pearl among common ones. Again, I found myself doing something that I'd never done before; I missed the bizarre red Fuyumi brought with her. "What? You want me to listen to that frosty hag?" My mother chuckled lightly before tossing her head to her guards stating about how laughable Fuyumi had been. Was peace not worth the chance; was it not worth just listening to her? Was just hearing her voice so painful we couldn't even hear it to talk about peace?

I shook my head in disbelief, looking back at Tokoyami for a moment, taking in his concern before looking back to my mother. Wide eyed and a bit frantic, I shook my head and stared with shock before my soft voice burst through my throat. "We have to try." It was all I said before I found myself rushing through the streets of my city, past my mother's hollers, Tokoyami's calls, and Ochaco's gasp as I shoved open the large doors. Citizens waved towards me or even tried to greet me before they took their hands back and watched me in confusion as I ran by.

Leather sandals met white marble as I darted under the arches and trees, past the columns and fountains that decorated my city toward a retreating gemstone I may never see again. The gentle breeze turned to whipping wind as I followed on, finally able to make out the golden helmets of the temple guards escorting the Zambetzian away. Even amidst all the people that crowded around me attempting to see their princess, I could see the sway of her long dark dress; It wasn't flowy like mine and simply fell to the floor from her waist. I wondered what it must be like to wear such a dress as I called out to her, screaming a name I thought I'd never say without fear.

The guards stopped, and she whirled around in shock, her facing changing to an ecstatic wide smile. "You came back?" She called, voice whispery but loud and she attempted to walk toward me, only to be stopped by the guards. She didn't move, not a muscle, she just held that wide smile as I slowed my pace, taking small lingering steps up to the guards between us. Hope, she had hope in her eyes.

I stopped, panting slightly and felt the cold of her presence wash over me a second time; I hadn't noticed when it left, but I felt the chill prickle my skin. "I did." We stared at each other, gazing into our opposite eyes both caught in a whirlwind of emotions. Neither one of us had expected me to come racing after her yet I did, and I found myself a little unsure of my actions as I left without the strongest part of me: Tokoyami. I'd never done something so brazen.

I had no idea how much time had passed as we stood there when I heard Tokoyami and Ochaco's voice behind me, hollering for my attention. I turned my head from Fuyumi then, watching my friends come to a halt near me, their bodies full of concern and chests heaving. Tokoyami walked up me but said nothing, his face an expression I couldn't name and had never seen, but I could tell I'd both confused and startled him.

Ochaco said my name in a whisper, as Tokoyami turned and eyed the Zambetzi princess, then looked to me. He looked at me for a long moment with his shoulders and chest high and tensed, then he did the most unexpected thing; he smiled. As he did, my eyes widened, and my lips parted; I looked to Ochaco then, and in her eyes I saw pride, in her smile faith, and she nodded as she backed away and shooed the various citizens who'd gathered in concern for me. Tokoyami lightly grasped my upper arm ad he passed me walking to the temple guards surrounding Fuyumi, moving them out of my way against their protests. Fuyumi watched our exchange, lightly perplexed, but happy at the outcome. "I'm glad you came." Her voice was back to silk; no, it was kinder, smoother than silk, like nothing I'd ever heard. But I could hear the optimism in her words.

"Why?" I breathed out and she tiled her head in confusion, "Why did you want to speak to me?" As she understood my earlier question she seemed shocked, then looked to the ground, her peculiar braid lifting from her body slightly before looking back at me with an unusual look, both hardened from hate and softened from hope. Her eyes were deep with emotions and she balled her fists at her sides.

She forced out a smile and brought one hand to rest over her heart, "I want peace, my brother wants peace, Zambetzi wants peace, and you seemed the one to talk to on your side of this." Closing her eyes, her shoulders rose slowly as she inhaled and fell as she let out her breath stepping toward me. When her eyes opened there was somberness about them that shook me, "For once the rumors are true; you are the most beautiful woman I've ever seen." Her light gaze as her eyes flickered over my body was all but judgmental, yet she seemed to be pleased with what she saw. I'd come to talk about peace not my physique.

I was not so pleased; I needed to move, needed something to distract me. "Walk with me, and we'll talk." I waved my hand toward the street as I spoke, and we proceeded to move, walking side by side like old friends, ignoring the unease that filled my body. The guards around me were shaking in fury from allowing her to be so close to me, clearly disapproving of my actions, but they followed none the less. Tokoyami said a few words to Ochaco before she scurried off back to towards the temple and he made his way over to me, allowing me to take his arm to steady my nerves as we walked. I watched her from the corners of my eyes, noting the way her smile had transformed from the mockery she'd given my mother to the joy it held now; she looked pleased at being given the chance to speak.

She smiled at me before looking out to my city. In front of us was a plaza full of budding flowers and a large fountain. "It's beautiful, nothing like my kingdom. I like it here, but it's a bit too hot for my taste." I smiled lightly as she laughed; my kingdom was beautiful, but I had no idea what hers looked like.

"I love it here, personally I can't stand the cold." She snickered amused and stopped to stare at fountain, running her fingers over the detailing on the marble angle who poured a vase of water over her head. This wasn't a popular plaza as it was far from the sea and close to the inner wall, but I'd been here many times to admire the serenity of place.

Fuyumi continued to trace the detailing, finding the hair of the angel and circling to the back of the fountain to continue to run her fingers over the angels hair. "That's a shame, I'd hoped that if we could find peace, you could visit sometime." She sounded genuine and my eyes turned to look at the side of her face awestruck by her words. She would welcome me into her home despite all the horrible things she no doubt found me responsible for.

"So, it's true then…" My voice was breathy and small, ridden with shock. I had to force the next few words out, unable to say his proper name. "He wants peace?" Fuyumi stopped her tracing and stood still; I found myself wondering what was going through her head in that moment. Was she still admiring the beauty of our architecture, was she simply listening to the spilling of the water or was she thinking about something complex or was it something simple?

She gave me a sad smile turning fully to look at me. "Yes, he does." Pausing, she took a moment to take a long breath. "You know my youngest brother died just two nights ago?" I knew, oh how I knew. Tokoyami eyed the woman wearily as she looked from each of my eyes multiple times. "He was so young, and he didn't deserve to die, but now his is simply gone. How in the world are we supposed to expect our soldiers to keep fighting when not even their Tsar doesn't have the will to?"

"He's not Tsar yet, not officially." The words came from my mouth before I could put any thought into them, yet no one seemed surprised. Tokoyami was still tense and stood near me like a hero in a story while Fuyumi's smile never changed. We watched each other, just taking in the differences between us.

Suddenly, Fuyumi turned back to the fountain, walking toward it and grasping at the flowering vines that covered the rim. "These are beautiful." Did they have no flowers in the north? "He may not be Tsar yet, but he soon will be. I know it's hard to believe someone you've spent the better half of your life hating, but believe me when I say this-" she turned and our eyes connected in such a serious manner that I was frozen in place listening to her words. "-there is nothing my brother wouldn't do for peace. Nothing." Accompanied by her offer for peace her words made him seem forgiving and kind, but alone, as I suspected they were meant to be, they sounded more like a threat.

My breath escaped through my nose, a harsh sound I didn't intend, yet she seemed unfazed, waiting for me to respond. "What exactly did he have in mind?" Finally, I was finally finding my confidence as I stood tall, reaching Tokoyami's height and gazing down at the princess before me, not in disrespect but simply from being taller.

She smiled again, happy. "You truly are a beautiful woman, Momo Yaoyorozu. Tell me, do you have a fiancé?" I stilled, as did my many guards and Tokoyami's eyes turned icier than hers. "I thought not. My brother would like to meet with you, your mother-" she rolled her eyes a bit, sighing and shaking her head as she referred to our queen. "-and anyone else you'd like to bring. We were thinking of meeting on neutral ground, if that'd be possible? Perhaps someplace at the border?"

Before I could answer, Tokoyami cut in. "And leave you to attack us with our guard down, give you the perfect ambush? No, if you want to meet with our Queen and her daughter you will do so here, in-" Fuyumi had no lack in confidence as she cut him off, something that shook me as many feared, or at least respected Tokoyami. She was a true princess, one who feared none and was able to stand her ground; I could learn a lot from her.

Her interruption was quick and held a firm tone, "That didn't seem to go so well this time with just me in the room, how do you think it'll go with my brother?" She cocked her head with a hand on her hip, ready to retort to whatever Tokoyami would say next. She'd become sassy with Tokoyami, perhaps seeing him as less a threat and more a person to mess with at this point.

He clearly had something to say back but I was quicker to respond than him this time. "I agree, here won't do, but neither will the border. It must be neutral ground though, somewhere we can talk in private yet trust there won't be an ambush." I waited lost in thought for a moment, looking up into the vastness of the blue color in the sky. I smiled then, as a thought came to my mind and I brought my face back to our conversation. "We'll meet at sea, one ship each, if either brings more we'll be able to see so for miles. Our ships are faster than yours, so we each buy a single ship from the western lords; a fishing boat. A small one that only allows a few passengers, we meet on deck and talk, then sail back to our people each night. When morning comes, we can sail back and talk some more if need be." Her smile grew while Tokoyami eyed me wearily, unhappy at his previous dismissal, but the slight upturned corner of his mouth showed me he approved of my plan.

Fuyumi rose from happiness, her smile reaching from either side of her face and she clapped her hands together. "Sounds like a plan, I will let my brother know. When and where?" The sooner the better.

That way, they had no time to prepare any ulterior plans. "five days, if that's not too soon." She shook her head happily. "Good, then we'll send a messenger with the exact location, just know that it will take place in the eastern seas near the border." Away from any feudal lords they could bribe.

She was silent for a while, and I watched as her eyes began to gather water. Tokoyami cocked his head and heard a guard puff in amusement as her sudden sadness. She took a step closer to me, and I felt not her cold, snowy magic pass through me, but instead I felt the warmth of her fire. "Thank you, Yaoyorozu." She breathed as a single tear crossed from the rim of her eye to the corner of her mouth before dripping off her face and falling to the ground. Why was she crying; we hadn't reached peace yet.

Was it possible she had the same undying desire for peace that I did; was it as plaguing a thought in her mind as it was mine? Could it be possible? Tokoyami moved between us then, motioning the guards around us to come over before turning to the ruby woman. "Now that a plan's in place, I think you should get going. If we're to meet in the eastern sea in five days, you'll have to ride all night just to make it back to the edge of your kingdom. Time is not on your side." He turned to address the guards then "Escort her out of the city and back to her camp; make sure they have horses that are well feed and rested as they need to leave immediately." He grabbed on of the guards and brought the mans face close to his own, and in a hushed tone added "Be gentle but stay aware." Tokoyami had noticed the roughness with which they handled Fuyumi earlier just as I did, and I was thankful he was on my side, caring about the treatment of the woman.

The guard nodded and looked to his fellow guardsmen before waving toward Fuyumi, asking her to walk in front of him. Tokoyami and I stood there and watched them disappear, their figures growing smaller and smaller as they traveled down the street. "I'm proud of you." His voice was deep as he nor I looked away from the fleeting Zambetzian.

Surprisingly, I was glad to have met Fuyumi Todoroki and hear her words. Our conversation had been pleasant, but I knew the conversation with my mother would be less so; that was a hurdle I would have to leap over soon however, as five days was rushed even for us. My mother would be furious with me at having made plans without her but especially at having trusted a Todoroki. Still though, I couldn't shake the faith I had that her offer had been genuine, and I knew I'd never forget that last look she gave me before she left. That last look, a look of hope, sadness, acceptance and fear all mixed into one stunning smile from a ruby among pearls.

 **So, a chapter that didn't progress much but hey, things are happening! And I think the next chapter will be a lot more to everyone's liking! Let me know what you think!**


	6. Chapter 6 : Negotiations

**It's July 4th! Any American abcolutly knows the significance of today and I'm sure a few non-Americans do to! So, as a present to celebrate today (and since I don't live in America at the moment) I decided to update today instead of over the weekend! It's a long chapter but I hope y'all enjoy it! Also, I'm going to be very busy for the next two weeks so I might not get to update anytime soon; hopefully the length here will keep y'all satisfied!**

It'd taken two days and hours of talking things over with my mother to get her to agree with the plans I'd made with Fuyumi. Now, I was receiving the silent treatment as we sat on the deck of a small boat sailing out away from the rest of our fleet; she'd agreed to meet with them but that was all. The ship was poorly made in comparison to our fleet and the creaking the wooden slats made as they met the waves was slightly disturbing.

Tokoyami had exacted his revenge for ignoring him by refusing to offer his arm whenever we walked anywhere; it was bothersome, but I accepted the hilarity of it. Kirishima had officially joined my detail and was Tokoyamis self-proclaimed pupil, much to Tokoyamis displeasure. Truthfully, the farmer was still in training, but Tokoyami allowed him to accompany us wherever we went. The guard suited Kirishima well as he got along with his new family and looked well dressed in the white and gold royal guards uniform, a step up from his usual farmers cotton. Both Kirishima and Ochaco had come along with us to the eastern sea to meet with the Todoroki, but they waited back on our larger ships for their safety.

In the past five days, Ochaco had been encouraging telling me she was proud to be my friend and that I was doing the right thing. I just hoped she was right. My mother had a much different stance on what we were here to do, she thought I was foolish for believing the Zambetzi princess and told me to grow up. However, she'd told our generals to hold off on negotiations with the western lords; secretly she was just as hopeful that this would work as I was, but her age had made her less trusting.

Because she was weary of the Zambetzi, she brought Nighteye along with her and I highly suspected the Zambetzi would bring a negotiator of their own along with them. Counting Nighteye, there was my mother, her head guard, Tokoyami, myself, another guard from my mothers' detail and the Admiral. That was the most the small ship could carry and would certainly be the same number the Zambetzi ship coming toward us in the distance could carry.

It was nerve wracking to watch the far-off ship approach us slowly as I knew it carried the man I feared most on board. As wave after wave disappeared under our ship, I was drawn into thoughts about the coming meeting, the man who'd be there, and what it meant for our kingdoms. This was the first-time peace had become an option for our people in over eighty years and I prayed we were successful. I knew it would likely take many days and multiple meetings, but if that's what it took to end the slaughtering, then it was worth it.

A gruff 'ahem' sounded beside me and I turned over my shoulder, away from the water to see Nighteye standing behind me with his natural stern look and hands behind him. "May we talk, Milady?" He stepped up to the front of the ship with me, overlooking the bow as I had been, and together we faced the Ocean. I was alone as Tokoyami was discussing things with his mentor, my mother's head guard; his name was Toshinori, and he was an extraordinary man to say the least. He'd protected my mother for years, keeping her safe and getting her out of the deadliest of situations, one's people thought were impossible to overcome. I could hear him loudly pat Tokoyamis back as my friend sputtered in pain from the strength of the blows.

"May I speak freely?" Nighteye was the calm my mother never would be and the patience she wished she had, just being near the man calmed me. His thin white material of his shirt was wet from the splashing of the waves and stuck to his skin, making him look more like a pillar than he had before.

I laughed lightly at this, thinking his attire had been a poor choice in clothing. While the man was much more patient than my mother, he was just as stubborn. "Of course." His eyes spotted me from the corners of his eyes as he lightly smiled from my laugh.

He returned his gaze to the ocean and I took in the salty scent that came with the water. "I don't know what you're hoping for out of these 'negotiations', but I don't think you should get your hopes up." His tone was somber, and he kept still for a moment while I turned my head, staring now at his long face. "This war has gone on so long it's imbedded in the roots of our civilization and DNA of our people. If peace was as simple as the Todoroki and the Yaoyorozu just coming to an agreement, it would have been done long ago. The last attempt failed not only because of the deep hatred we hold for one another, but also because an end to the war would not keep our people and theirs from fighting. Anytime our people met at the border there would be death." His eyes were like steel, hard and pressed flat looking solely at the sea.

He continued after a deep sigh, "I think it's noble what you're trying to do, and the people love you. They know how much you care for them; they know you sing to their children, their spouses and their parents as they die. They know, Yaoyorozu." He turned to me, catching me in my stare and smiled. "You will do well as our queen, and you will be remembered for trying to make peace even before you took the throne." His smile faded and was replaced by a thin line. "But you must know that when there is a hatred as deep as ours, when the conflict is so large it could suffocate a planet, it will take a great move of trust from both sides in order to find peace. Money and land cannot solve our problems, only trust and acceptance can. Our people will need to not only recognize the Todoroki as our allies, they will need to accept them, and the Zambetzi will need to accept you." His head tilted against the morning horizon and his eyes were slightly narrowed; he was waiting to gauge my reaction.

I knew how difficult it would be to find peace, I knew how unlikely it was, but I was willing to try. Hundreds of years' worth of war had calloused my people to gruesome deaths and generations grew old and died never knowing the softness of peace, thousands of children had died before their time and families learned to cherish their loved ones not through hugs and kisses but through shrines and old pictures. This was not living, people were not supposed to love a photo, they were supposed to love their grandchildren.

I understood how heavy our resentment for each other was, I was aware that every person on the coming boat would loath me, and I knew that no matter how much I smiled, no matter how polite I was, at the end of the day they would still loath me. There was no denying that, but what I couldn't understand was how, when two people were willing to give everything for peace, it could not be achieved? Of course, that was assuming Fuyumi had be telling the truth when she said there was nothing her brother wouldn't give for it.

Unfortunately, I couldn't offer Nighteye any insight about the Zambetzi Tsar, but I could reassure him in my resolve. "Nighteye," my voice was much firmer than I'd expected and the passion in me caused the man to take a small step back. "I want you to know, to understand, that I would give my life for peace. If my life was the one thing preventing a better world, I would gladly give it up." He frowned when I said this, quickly jumping in to tell me that wasn't necessary, but I cut him off with my hand, "I know, my death won't solve anything, but my life may. If the Zambetzi are willing for peace as much as I am, I do not see how we can't find some sort of conclusion to this madness. All this war has become is revenge for the fallen, only to create more fallen to avenge. There's no point to it, and I hate it, more than I hate the Zambetzi. It's baffling to me how my kin have allowed it to go on this long, and how no one's ever called us mad for continuing on this way. That's why I'm determined to put a stop to it, that's why I must stop it. A queen is supposed to help her people live, not instruct them to die. I will be queen, yes, but I will not be a queen that leads my people into battle. I will not murder in the name of my kin…in the name of my Father." I'd given him a dialog of my thoughts from the past few days and I felt as if the wind could lift me from this boat and carry me to a much happier, simpler place. Hearing my thoughts out loud, passing them to another, made me feel so much lighter.

Nighteye had remained still, holding onto that thin line his lips formed while I spoke, but as I finished, taking in deep breaths to settle myself, he smiled. It was the simplest yet happiest smile I'd ever seen on him, and he chuckled softly as he shook his head and faced the deck. He grasped me, hugging me softly, an unexpected gesture from him, but I returned the hug nonetheless. It was comforting to know someone other than Tokoyami and Ochaco believed in me; as we held each other's backs, I could feel Nighteyes body bounce and he chucked again until he placed his hands on my shoulders and distanced his body from me. "You're wrong, Milady. You don't hate the Zambetzi, you want to save them as badly as you want to save your own people." He left then, leaving me to my thoughts and the movement of the ocean.

I watched his fleeting back until I heard the Admiral call out to us; it was time. I looked back out to the water and could see another small boat beside us, its passengers on the deck like ours. Our boats were the same but the people on board so different, and so full of hate. My eyes found Fuyumi's, who stood near the center of her boat near a seated woman with white hair like snow. Her eyes were dull, and she looked tired, exhausted, but held a small smile. She brought a hand up to wave at me, looking frailer by the second. This was the Tsarina, the woman who sat on the Zambetzi throne and who was the mother of Shoto Todoroki.

She looked kind, but history told me otherwise, and I quickly flashed her a small smile before searching their boat for the other passengers. A female guard, dark haired and stern faced, scowled at me, crossing her arms over her small chest while she stood near the Tsarina and Fuyumi. Her hair framed her face and she was slender in form, yet her stance told me she could be as deadly as a viper. Her scowl was unmoving, solely directed my way in an unforgiving manner.

The only other guard I could see was a rather angry looking blonde man. His arms were wide with toned muscle and his hair was just as spikey as Kirishimas however, this man held none of the pleasant smile Kirishima did. Instead, his eyes were like small bombs ready to kill me the instant we met and his body language screamed fury. His shoulders were drawn up as he sneered at me, leaning on the far side of the boat with crossed arms. His gaze made me shiver, and I found that I already didn't like this, as near him stood the one man I'd hoped never to meet. Shoto Todoroki.

Our ships were side by side now, circling the other so that the front of our ships faced our own fleets, ready to escape if need be. As the ships danced, each boat stared the other down, taking in the people on the other ship; except for Shoto Todoroki. He had his back to us, hunched over the rail on the back side and gazing out at the deep waters of the ocean. I had never met the man, but I knew it was him by the infamous divide of red and white in his hair. The glaring, blonde guard next to Shoto Todorki elbowed him in the side but said nothing, and I watched the mans' peculiar head dip before he slowly turned his body around instantly finding my gaze.

Time froze the second our eyes met, my onyx clashing with the duality of his blue and gray. It was the blue eye that made me gasp, as it was a color I recognized. My dream, it was the color of the eye from my dream; was it a premonition? A warning from the gods? The familiarity of his eyes was startling, and the vacantness of the expression he held while staring at me only added to the effect.

If I was still breathing, I wasn't aware of it; I was frightened of this man, petrified by his stare. His head moved up slightly, just barely enough to notice, and I could feel his magic coat my skin in its polar-like temperature sending deep shivers continuously down my spine and through my toes. I felt flash-frozen, preserved perfectly underneath a thin layer of numbing frost and I thought I'd pass out from the sudden drop in temperature. Yet despite the dizziness that filled my head and the loss of feeling in my limbs, I remained standing somehow, some lingering bit of defiance keeping me upright.

He smirked then, cocking his head slightly without breaking our eye contact. He sat back with his hands gripping the railing at his sides and I realized I'd been reduced to a mere frozen skeleton without the ability to form coherent thoughts in a matter of seconds, and by his stare alone. How was I supposed to make peace with a demon like that? It suddenly didn't seem so easy.

Finally, through the layer of ice over my skin, I could feel someone gripping my shoulders and vigorously shaking me, attempting to wake me from my petrified state. It was Tokoyami, who seemed deeply concerned as he called out my name and shook me. I turned my eyes to him, feeling the first breath I was aware of in minutes and swaying on my feet light-headed as the frigid ice retreated, fleeing back to its master. "Momo, you're pale and cold as ice." Tokoyami's brows were down and his eyes were wide. Slowly, I turned back to Shoto Todoroki, who held me in place for a few seconds more before he turned his head and addressed the male guard beside him. I heard Tokoyami again, thankful I regained my senses. "Are you okay? You're scaring me." He sounded so serious and he rarely admitted it when he was frightened.

I smiled lightly as I brought one of my hands to rest over his at my shoulder, taking a small step back. "Yes…Yes I'm fine." Truthfully, I was uncertain. I'd never felt something so powerful, and it wasn't just Shoto Todorokis magic, it was everything about him. I'd failed to really look at him earlier, but now that I was released from his spell, I watched him as he spoke to his family and guards, noting how regal the man looked.

The soon to be Tsar wore a deep blue coat with silver embroidery down the center, on the cuffs and around his neck and the very same blue colored his slacks that took over about upper thigh and fell to the floor. His clothing had been recently ironed as the lines his dark pants were clearly visible and he looked his part; he looked like royalty.

I felt plain in comparison as my dress was much simpler and the only grand thing about my hair was the pin holding it up. In preparation to meet people from a culture that constantly covered themselves from chin to toe, I made sure to cover my torso, but I left my shoulders and arms bare. My dress was a common white and hugged my skin from shoulders to waist where it then fell loosely to the ground. A sparse gold embroidery covered the top of the dress, where it dipped low in my chest and a thick gold belt was wrapped around my waist. Everything I wore Ochaco had loaned to me just for today, except for the golden pin that held my hair up in a high ponytail. It was her way to remind me that she believed in me while I spoke to the Zambetzi, and I was grateful for her generosity and faith.

When Shoto Todoroki looked back to me, I could see the sneer on his lips as he looked at the simplicity of my attire. I didn't meet his standards. With his judgement in mind, I turned away from him, not wanting to look at him any longer. "Are we to board their ship, or are they going to board ours?" Tokoyami looked over his shoulder toward the Admiral after I spoke, and he nodded lightly before looking back to me as our boat came to a halt.

"Our messengers and theirs had a coin toss, which they won, so for today we will board their ship and tomorrow they will board ours. We will continue to switch until an agreement has been made." Tokoyami gave me a stern look before he continued, "I'm going first, don't follow until I wave to you." He grabbed my upper arm and leaned close to my ear, whispering "Be on guard, Momo." With this, he left my side and stepped up onto the plank that now connected our two ships.

The female guard stepped up and met him half way, only two steps from their own ships, and they shared a few words, nodded, and my friend turned back toward us. "Milady, they are ready." My mother laughed unhappily as Tokoyami addressed her, making his way to the edge of our boat and offering her a hand.

She picked up the fabric from her dress as she stepped up onto the connecting board and accepting Tokoyami's help, "I'm sure they're just delighted to have us." Her mocking tone wasn't subtle in the slightest and I slightly winced at the ferocity of her hatred as I too stepped up onto the board behind her, intertwining my arm with Tokoymai's. It was the first time he'd allowed it since I'd ignored him in the capital, and I was thankful for his forgiveness.

Their boat, like ours, sported a small deck at the front while the ship's wheel was toward the back where a Zambetzian naval officer stood. He was dressed in thick white cotton from head to toe with a pressed uniform decorated in numerous medals and awards. Had I never met our Admiral, I would've thought the naval Zambetizan to be the epitome of a sailor for he certainly looked the part, just in a very different way than our Admiral. Where the Admiral was gruff, large, and looked as if he demanded respect, the Zambetzian was slim and clean-cut, clearly from nobility. Even their uniforms contrasted each other, the Admirals being a dark navy while the Zambetzians was a clean white.

The Zambetzian naval officer stood behind the ships wheel, not moving as we made our way onto his boat, yet he eyed each of us as we stepped down onto the deck. I could feel his eyes linger on me for a moment before he shook his head in disappointment and looked to his own royalty. Why did every Zambetzian seem so focused on me? Even the guards eyes all lingered on me while they scowled or sneered.

The male guard was having a heated discussion with the coming Tsar, shoving him slightly as the guard stalked by, while Fuyumi and the Tsarina moved to the far side of the deck. They sat down on small cushions, folding their legs underneath their bodies; it was a Ceracian custom, not a Zambetzian as normally they preferred the use of chairs.

As my foot made contact with their boat I watched the female guard lay two cushions opposite her female royalty, clearly for my mother and me. I felt a slight pause in my movements as it donned on me that this was Zambetzian property; being here, being so close to Shoto Todoroki without the intention to kill or run, it made the situation seem truly real for the first time.

My mother towered over her cushion, simply staring at it indignantly while the rest of us just listened to the weeping of the wind at our faces. "We'll be needing a third cushion for my historian." Venom dripped from my mothers words as she motioned to Nighteye who gave a slight bow to the Zambetzian royalty. Shoto Todoroki was still standing near the tip of the ship with the volatile guard while the female one stood protectively behind Fuyumi and the Tsarina.

At my mothers comment, the female guards scowl deepened; she appeared to have a retort prepared for my mother, yet it was her rising Tsar who addressed my mother first. "We'll find one. For now, sit." He waved toward the cushion before her walking toward us with the male guard in tow, and my mother smiled mockingly glancing at me.

I could tell from the look in her eyes that she intended to be difficult and continue to stand, and I assumed she wanted me to be just as defiant. It still confuses me at times how stubborn my mother can be, even amidst the promise of peace she couldn't find kindness. I caught her eye for a moment before I dipped down and folded my own legs beneath me, causing a perplexed scowl to cross my mothers features. She huffed, annoyed, before following my silent lead and sat down as well.

For a moment, no one spoke, we all just listened to calls from the birds above. Shoto Todorki himself came to sit on the cushion before me after a few short moments, and I watched him lower his body to the deck. He was so close, and although his eyes were set in the direction of my face, I swore he was looking at my soul instead. It was as if he wasn't just looking at me but also inside me, trying to find something. I wish he had sat across from Nighteye or my mother instead as I cowered in his gaze.

An awkward silence enveloped us and I thought we'd sit in silence until nightfall until the Tsarina welcomed us. "It's a pleasure to officially meet you all. I am the Tsarina, and these are my children." Her voice was meek and her hair thin as she motioned to the two young adults beside her, both clearly defined by the complexity of their hair. "You already know my daughter, Fuyumi, but I believe you all have yet to meet my son, Shoto." Her eyes seemed like they were about to shatter they were so weak, but as she addressed her children I could see the brightness of the stars twinkle within them. Was the Tsarina sick; why did she seem so frail? Shoto Todoroki gave a small nod as hello when his mother introduced him all without removing his gaze from me. Meanwhile, Nighteye sat on the other side of my mother as he was passed a small cushion by the female guard begrudgingly.

With all of us seated on the freshly waxed deck, staring our most hated enemies down yet hoping for peace, no one could really find the words. I doubted my mother was at a loss for words though, she must have just been unwilling to speak. If this was to succeed, then I would need to find the courage to speak my mind and stand up for my people, so I gripped the fabric of Ochacos dress and took a breath, "Certainly you know my mother and I, but the man beside her is Nighteye. He is a historian from our court here to help with the negotiations." The Tsarina and her daughter both smiled, happy with my response, while my mothers judging eyes darted to me for a second before returning to the Zambetzi. Honestly though, I was surprised they hadn't brought anyone.

Finally, Shoto Todoroki's piercing eyes turned away from me and fell on Nighteye. The two men shared a long hard look before Nighteye took over the conversation. "Forgive me if I come off brash, but you are Shoto Todoroki, are you not? Are you sincere about wanting peace?" He was as stoic and stern as ever as he addressed the rising Tsar. The female guard rolled her eyes while the Tsarina and her daughter remained the still, the blonde guard was rather vocal however.

He stomped forward a few steps and erupted in a loud tone, "Eh, so you're not even going to thank us for letting you on our ship or giving you sleazy beach lovers your precious cushions to lay on? Not even so much as a thank you, huh?" His red eyes glared at all of us as he searched our party and he grinned smugly until his eyes fell behind me. Tokoyami, his gaze must have met Tokoyamis, and I turned around slightly. The two were in a death match as I saw a darkness in Tokoyami I had never seen before; he looked ready to kill as he and the blonde guard stared at each other. I was shocked, Tokoyami had never really enjoyed violence, yet now I could see the urge in his body to lunge forward and fight the guard in front of us.

It was Shoto Todoroki who ended their battle, "Settle down Bakugo." He was calm and firm as he sent a wave to the guard behind him, who merely huffed and muttered something about a 'lousy half and half bastard' before settling back into place. Shoto never turned his head but I watched as he to eyed Tokoyami warningly before returning his mismatched gaze to Nighteye. "Yes, I want peace." He was short and direct; his husky voice turned to address me next. "Do you?" I felt the weight of his question on my shoulders as he stared at me, and again I felt myself shiver. Would I never be comfortable in a Todoroki's presence?

My hands were clasped tightly in my lap and I squeezed them hard before responding to the man, "I do, and I don't believe it's impossible to find either." My voice was steeled despite my nerves, something I could only contribute to Tokoyami's warming presence, and the rising Tsar's scowl turned neutral, lips in a flat line.

My mother rocked on her legs almost amused by what I said before her anger got the best of her, "And you really expect us to believe you after hundreds of years' worth of murder and genocide?" She was mocking them, and I could see the darkness in Fuyumi rising as the Tsarina's weak smile turned sad and her already dull eyes lost what little spark they had left. Shoto Todoroki gave my mother a nasty glare while the blonde guard behind him erupted into a fit of accusatory yelling and obscenities.

Those from my kingdom instantly recoiled due to the guards ferocity, my mother had jumped to her feet while both her guard and Tokoyami grasped our shoulders with one hand while their other rested on their weapons in alarm. I remained seated, but one hand had gone to the floor behind me while the other was raised before my chest to keep the guard away.

While the blonde guard was vicious with his words and actions, he never stepped past his royalty, and he never laid a hand on any of us, something I was thankful for. My mother was half in shock and half in fear as she called out to the Zambetzians, eyes wide and retreating behind her guard. "Aren't you going to rein in your dog?" Her comment only fired the man up even further, his red eyes turning darker than the coldness of death as he raged on.

Shoto Todoroki allowed him to finish his yelling before he too rose to his feet. He sighed and turned to face the guard, "Either settle down or I'll be forced to send you back to counseling with the Jeanist. If you're too angry to stand by calmly, leave." I could see it, how powerful both Shoto Todoroki and his guard were. They were both broad shouldered and quite muscular in physique, and I found myself wondering who'd win in a fight between the two.

My eyes grew wide as the blonde guard narrowed his scarlet eyes at his rising Tsar before he shoved his hands in his pockets and stalked off, throwing insult after insult to both my mother and Shoto Todoroki. Two things about this surprised me; the first being how the guard simply left his royalty and the second how vulgar and rude he was to his royalty. No Ceracian guard would ever treat my mother or me that way; was this the norm in Zambetzi? I realized I was attempting to make peace with a people I knew so little about.

Shoto Todoroki turned back to us, his gaze connecting with my mothers. "I apologize, please, have a seat." He gestured to the cushion before her as he lowered back down. The Tsarina watched him carefully as he sat, offering him a small reassuring smile that I doubted he saw.

My mother was less compliant than the guard however, and she laughed incredulously. "You expect me to sit back down? What's next, is that one there going to lunge out and bark at me too?" She waved her hand toward the female guard who snarled back, tossing a "Wait and see" to my mother before Fuyumi quieted her.

Shoto Todoroki narrowed his eyes in response, clearly fed up with my mother who now stood with her arms crossed before her chest and anger in her eyes. "Perhaps if you'd stop instigating things our guards wouldn't feel the need to lash out." His voice was as low as his volume, but we all heard it. While he didn't threaten my mother, his tone was threatening enough to send more shivers down my spine.

My mother's mouth was agape, and she was clearly going to throw back another insult until the Tsarina interrupted her. "You know, my son died a few nights ago." She was somber, a sadness filling her voice and eyes.

My mother scoffed at her, "Yes, I am aware." I turned my eyes to my mother slightly appalled by her apathetic response. From the Zambetzian's, the Tsarina was the only one not to give my mother a nasty look; the only thing I could see on the Tsarina's face was sorrow, pure and utter sorrow.

"We are very sorry for your loss." It was the most I could offer them, and Fuyumi smiled at me. She brightened visibly every time I spoke, and so did her mother.

The Tsarina looked at her hands before she looked at me, "Yes, I know you are." While the comment could be taken as a reference to everyone in my party, something about the way she said it made me think she was referring only to me. "He was a good boy, too young to die. He would've been happy to see us here trying to find peace." As she finished, her son took over the conversation.

"Since you brought a negotiator, am I correct to assume you've already thought of demands?" He never spoke more than a few words, only what was necessary, yet he was so confident and direct. His sister wasn't the only one I could learn from.

Nighteye nodded, addressing the man with the same directness. "Yes, since you've burned so much of our crop in the past, we'd like for you to pay all the farmers near the border in compensation, and we'd also like the southern peninsula of Zambetzi." This was all news to me; evidently my mother had spoken with Nighteye without me, these must be her ideas. Nighteye knew money and land would not lead to peace, he'd said as much earlier.

Fuyumi smiled mockingly at him, "This is a negotiation not a payoff." She flicked her braid behind her back and cocked her head, the red collar of her dress, one similar to the one she wore when we met, folding under her chin as she spoke. "Plus, that would do nothing to quell the hostility between the two kingdoms. Please, have a seat." Fuyumi nodded toward the empty cushion.

My mother looked her over once before she placed her hands on her hips. "You lack the respect to speak here."

For a moment I thought she was going to ignore my mother completely, until Fuyumi eyed her wearingly and sat tall and confident. "And you lack both the patience and the wisdom to lead your kingdom to peace." My mothers temper flared even before Fuyumi had finished speaking.

Hurriedly, I reached up and caught the side of my mothers flowy dress. "Sit down, Mother." I motioned toward the cushion at her feet, and she eyed me unhappily before gathering her dress in her hands and folding her legs on the cushion, caging her anger for now. "We understand that, perhaps we could establish an embassy in each kingdom to help us get along?" It was the quickest way to divert the conversation away from us.

The Tsarina frowned unhappily, "I respect your knowledge, however, if were to set up an embassy immediately I'm certain it wouldn't last long. Our people, on both sides I'd assume, hate each other too much to allow an embassy to stay open for very long." She shook her head before turning to her son. "I know you have an idea, care to share?" Shoto Todoroki watched her for a moment as if unsure until she gave him a confident smile and a small wink. If he needed reassurement to state his idea, how sound could it be?

He inhaled before he looked directly at me, searching my soul again. "How much are you willing to give for peace?" His question took me off guard, and I glanced back at Tokoyami hoping he understood what the Zambetzian man meant. Unfortunatly, Tokoyami looked as perplexed as I felt as he eyed the deck and cocked his head deep in thought.

How much was I willing to give for peace; I'd told Nighteye earlier my life, but right now that didn't seem like the right response. They might actually ask for it. "Anything." As I said it, I felt my torso rise, gaining confidence, yet Shoto Todoroki squinted unhappily and frowned.

He breathed out through his nose, contemplating. "Anything, or everything?" Now I was truly confused; what was the difference? I knew I allowed my confusion to be seen through my actions and eyes as his frown deepened.

No, I knew the difference. Anything was simple, everything was anything but. I found myself rising again, and I met his eyes willingly, finding a bravery in myself I never knew was there. "Everything." My answer was plain and simple, and the rising Tsar squinted again in contemplation. What answer was he looking for?

The Tsarina spoke, taking up two pieces of cloth from underneath her cushion, previously hidden from view. "Our people have hated each other so long we don't remember what it's like not to hate the other. Our hatred is rooted deep within our hearts and it will be difficult to purge ourselves of it." She began to sew the two cloths together, one a deep garnet and the other a light gold.

I was watching the Tsarinas fingers move so intently I almost missed it when Fuyumi spoke up. "With a hatred such as ours, a simple embassy or small trade won't heal what's been broken by this war. When things break, you can't just push them together and hope they stay, you must tie them together creating a knot that binds the broken into one." As she said this, the Tsarina finished sewing, and she gently tugged on the two pieces of cloth, each resisting the force equally and sticking together.

I scrunched my eyebrows and scowled, still very confused while my mother sighed. Nighteyes expression was haunting though, and I couldn't read it very well, but he didn't seem to like where this was headed. I felt Tokoyami on my shoulder then, and he gave me a light squeeze, but I didn't look back. He too must understand, at least more than me, and he must feel the need to protect me. But from what? "Get to the point." My mothers harsh tone startled me from my thoughts, and Shoto Todoroki flashed her a dark frown before he looked deep in my eyes.

"You said before you were willing to give everything; I hope you meant it because that's what it will take. What we propose is not an exchange of money or land, but rather a promise. For peace, we must start by mending what's been broken first." He was interrupted by my mother who seemed uninterested by the Todoroki family's display. However, if their sewing act told me anything it was that they came prepared, ready to demonstrate their proposal.

My mothers eyes were half lidded as she spoke and she tossed her head to the side. "By what's been broken you mean trust? That will take time to fix and there's no way to sew trust." My mother was a smart woman, I knew that from the countless lectures she'd given me as a child, yet even she didn't understand what they were talking about.

Fuyumi shook her head slowly and frowned, "You're right, there's no way to tie or sew trust together, but that's not what were talking about." Fuyumi looked to me, addressing me this time. "When we met in your capital, you told me you haven't named a future king yet…you have no idea how relieved I was to hear that." She smiled at me, her eyes dancing between my own. "We can't truly fix what's been broken, but we can mend it with a little bit of faith and trust. As a result, the trust that we, the royal families, put in will be dispersed through our people. We must first trust each other, and our people will find trust as a result." My mother suddenly changed.

Both fear and darkness washed over her, and she sat back slightly watching Fuyumi with wide eyes. The Tsarina turned to me also, engaging in the conversation once again. "Do you understand, Yoayorozu?" Truth be told I didn't, and I doubted I had to say so for them to know. "Do you know what's been broken?" I shook my head slowly, uncertain of what to say until Tokoyami stepped forward and knelt beside me.

He whispered, low and close to my ear. "We should go, Yoayorozu. Now." He sounded so certain, and he looked at me so intensely as I whispered my refusal back to him. He was ready to retort, but Fuyumi spoke first. "The heart, Momo. That's what's been broken." I stared back at her in shock. The heart? Of course our hearts have been broken, we've watched countless men and women fall in battle never to seen by their families again, yet I was still confused. Sew a heart, is that what they meant, if so I still didn't understand.

I didn't have time to however, as I suddenly I felt myself being roughly dragged up by my upper arm. My mother was holding me so tight I knew I would bruise, and she burned with a rage hotter than lava as she spoke back to them. "That's enough, I'm not going to sit here and listen to your lunacy any longer. For a moment, I was hopeful my daughter was right about you, that we could find peace…but she was wrong. We're leaving, I suggest you do the same." With that, my mother paced off their boat with me in tow, still gripping my arm like a lifeline.

I could hear the desperate pleas from Fuyumi and her mother as we darted off their ship, and I turned my head to watch them as we fled. Fuyumi had risen to her feet reaching out to us only to be stopped by the female guard behind her while her mother held a hand over her mouth. Shoto Todoroki remained silent and didn't move a muscle, but he watched me the entire time.

He watched me as my mother instructed the Admiral to start the engines, he watched me as our boat took off toward our fleet, and he watched me as we disappeared into the horizon.

I was beyond startled by the entire interaction; my mother had never acted that way. I Looked to her in disbelief. "What on earth are you doing, that was our-"

"THAT'S ENOUGH, YOAYOROZU!" My mothers voice was still hot and loud as she interrupted me, and she stood tall beside me before turning to look at me. Her face showed how furious she was, and her eyes had darkened and the small wrinkles in her face were harshly creased. The volume of her voice shook me, and I stepped back slightly.

"I will not listen to those insufferable creatures any longer. I won't listen to their mad…"She stopped, and she brought her eyes to mine reaching out to grab my wrist. She looked almost sad, fearful of something. "You tried, but what they were proposing…it's mad, Yaoyorozu." I realized then, my mother had left not out of anger, but out of fear. Her voice had lost it's anger as well, dropping to a small plea.

I shook my head, turning my torso to face hers. "I don't understand. I-"

I'd wanted to say more, but my mother cut me off again, "And I hope you never do. I love you, Yaoyorozu. Never, ever, listen to them again." She gripped both my shoulders before she drew me into a tight hug. I was so stunned, my mother never acted like this. Just what did my mother understand that I didn't? She let go and I could see a deep emotion in her eyes before she turned, taking Nighteye along with her away from me discussing something with him.

Tokoyami came to stand beside me, and he let out a relieving breath. "I don't understand, why did we have to leave?" I questioned, and he faced me. He hesitated for a moment before he clasped his hands behind his back and straighten his back.

"Your mother did the right thing." He looked away unsurely before turning back to me. "I know you don't understand, and that's because you don't consider matters of the heart when they have to do with you. You're so focused on everyone else that you're oblivious to yourself." He too gripped my shoulder, one hand holding me lightly and the other on his own chest. "Believe me when I say this, your mother did the right thing."

Tokoyami let go of me, and he bowed before he too left me to stand alone.

When we made it back to our fleet, the sun had only barely finished rising and I could hardly see the Zambetzi ships on the horizon. Ochaco ran to me in concern, wondering why we were back so soon while Kirishima pestered Tokoyami for a moment. They were both a refreshing sight but I didn't want to relax with them, I wanted to speak with my mother, I needed to.

As I brushed past Ochaco however, I felt Tokoyami grasp my arm halting me in my journey to find my mother. All four of us were still, Ochaco and Kirishima likely both frozen by the ferocity of the emotions on both Tokoyamis and my face, until I swiveled on my foot to face him. "Let me go, Fukimage."

He winced, and backed away, dropping his hand. "Let this go." He spoke slowly, darkly almost, a deepness to his voice he'd never used with me. After a small pause, he turned somber and he sighed before he stalked off with his eyes cast to the ground. I watched him leave, retreating beneath the deck as he descended the stairs. Just what was happening? When did it become difficult to talk to Tokoyami?

I was both stunned and wounded by his retreat, confused by every aspect of my morning. "Milady, is everything okay?" Ochaco's meek voice penetrated my shock. She was looking up at me, a sad expression on her face with her hands together over her chest worriedly. I realized then, I'd almost ignored her. How could I?

Perhaps this was why Tokoyami left and told me to drop…whatever this was. I'd been so consumed with speaking to my mother I'd nearly ignored Ochaco; how cruel of me, that was something I should never do.  
Slowly, I reached up and took her hands in one of mine, "Don't worry, we just ran into some trouble with the negotiations. But I'm sure we can figure something out tomorrow." This was one of the things I needed to talk to my mother about.

When she said we were leaving, had she meant only for the morning, or did she mean there would be no negotiations? I hoped to god she meant the former. I knew I was wrong though, as suddenly I felt our pristine, golden ship lurch forward and sail back toward our lands.

I closed my eyes and pursed my lips, "Uh, I thought we were staying here?" Kirishima questioned, still slightly confused as he scratched his head looking in the direction we were headed. I remained silent for a moment, hearing Ochaco shush him. My mother didn't scare easily, but whatever the Zambetzi had been proposing had scared her so much that she'd scooped me up and was fleeing as fast as possible.

I held in a breath before letting it flow out my nose slowly, regaining what little control I had left over myself. I opened my eyes, smiling and hugged Ochaco hard, secretly needing the comfort. "Don't worry, I'm sure we'll be back sometime in the future. Peace can't escape us that easily." Ochaco wound her arms around me, setting her head as close to the crook of my neck as she could reach.

She rubbed my back, "You tried, Momo, that's what matters." Her voice was a low whisper, and accompanied by the softy weeping from the wind, I suddenly felt so empty, so sad. Kirishima, whether from awkwardness or obliviousness smiled brightly when Ochaco and I fell into our hug.

He set his golden embroidered spear against the side of our ship before throwing his large arms out and exclaiming 'group hug'. He then wrapped his arms around both of us and squeezed, lifting us off the ship slightly causing startled screams to erupt from Ochaco and a small smile to grace my lips. How very Kirishima of him; he wasn't dense at all, he knew exactly what he was doing.  
"Princess," he hadn't let go of us, but he'd set us back down on the ship and his masculine voice filled my ears. "I know I haven't known you as long as Ochaco or the Captian, and I know how close you are with them. But, you're not that close to me, not yet hopefully…" his last few words were said in a hurried speech, and he chuckled unsurely. Then, he turned hard and serious, perhaps for the first time I had ever seen. "So, take it from someone who both doesn't know you very well and isn't that close to you." His eyes shone with such conviction, and I could feel Ochaco withdraw slightly, shocked by the sudden change in his personality, just like me. "I believe you can do anything you set your mind to. If it's peace you want, then I trust that you'll make it happen." He said it with such ferocity but there was a kindness about his body language that almost brought tears to my eyes.

I'd thought only Ochaco and Tokoyami could make me feel this relaxed and supported, but I was wrong. Kirishima had, in only a matter of days, climbed his way into my heart beside my two best friends. He was family now, like Ochaco and Tokoyami before her; and I relished the feeling his words gave me.  
I smiled, perhaps looking sad, I wasn't sure, but I smiled. "Thank you, Kirishima." He smiled back and let go of both of us before bowing lightly. I didn't realize how informal his actions previously were, but he was one to act and ask for forgiveness later. I giggled then, as when he rose from his bow he had a chalky grin and was rubbing the back of his head with his other hand on his hip.

"So, I may or may not have been supposed to follow the Captian, but I don't really know. Do you?" He was so carefree, and we all laughed. He'd also taken to calling Tokoyami 'the Captian', to Tokoyamis disapproval, it was better than 'the great sir' however.

Ochaco spun around for a second, free from the despair I brought back with me from the failed negotiations and back to her chipper self. "Well, if Tokoyami wants to play hide and seek, I say we look for him! Who's with me?" She threw her arm in the air, hand raised tall as her skirt billowed in the wind. Kirishima followed her action as he took up his spear again. My friends could always make me feel better.

I giggled, covering my mouth slightly before I returned to the regal poise I had mastered over the years. "Let's go find him then." And before I knew it, Ochaco had grabbed both Kirishimas and my hand and was darting off checking every room on our large ship. It was well made, my people having mastered the art of ship making, and the walls shone as we flew by them. There was no creaking like the boat we'd taken to the negotiations and the familiar white and golden decorations around the ship made me feel at home. At home however, I would've had Tokoyami by my side.

Unfortunatly, we never found him; we spent most of the day scouring the ship for him, even sneaking into a few places we likely shouldn't have. We had fun, and I felt like a child again playing around with Ochaco and Kirishima, but I missed Tokoyami. I was never without him, not in years, and it felt odd. But alas, the hours had passed and there was no sign of him.

Now, still sailing south, the moon had appeared in the sky and night had overtaken the day. I used my hand to hide a small yawn as we stopped in one of the lower levels of the ship, but there was no fooling Ochaco. She put both her hands on her hips and bent forward slightly. "Well looks like it's time for bed, we can find Tokoyami tomorrow. That little devil is just too good at hiding." She smiled brightly and looked at the ceiling of the hallway we stood in, contemplating for a moment. "Besides, I'm sure he'll be waiting outside your door when you wake up tomorrow." She tossed her weight to one leg and laughed happily. She was right, tomorrow he would be back…and this war would carry on with no foreseeable peace.

Kirishima stretched his arms above his head, one still holding his long spear, and he nearly knocked over several ornate objects in the hallway. "Yeah, you gotta hand it to the guy, he sure can disappear. Since he can't, we'll walk you to your room Princess." They were both so bright and I didn't have the energy to argue. I nodded, and we all engaged in light chatter as we walked down the carpet heading for a higher floor.

As we reached my room, Kirishima knocked on the door, "Hello! Any would be intruders, back out now! You can't have the Princess!" he smiled and turned to me. "Well, safety check complete! You're good to go Princess!" He gave me a hearty salute, and Ochaco and I giggled loudly.

She slapped him on the shoulder, amused, "You're so silly sometimes Kirishima!" Ochacos laughter nearly made her cry as she spoke, and he gave her a toothy grin in response, shrugging. I watched them as they interacted, happy to have such great friends, before I hugged them both.

"Thank you, for today." I withdrew, stepping back and clasped my hands before me. "You two are better friends than I deserve." Ochaco smiled, brightening, and she giggled while Kirishima mouth hung open. He seemed shocked, bringing a hand to rest over his burly chest.

"Me…friends, with the PRINCESS? FINALLY!" He was loud, and I shushed him, laughing again at his antics before Ochaco grabbed his wrist and began dragging him away.

She giggled over her shoulder and tossed me a wave, "Goodnight Momo, we'll see you in the morning!" I knew she was just trying to get me to sleep off todays failures and my feelings of sadness. She knew I valued my time alone to think, and I was grateful for the escape from my daily life. Pretending to be above everyone else and holding so many lives in one hand was exhausting, and there were times I doubted I could handle it.

Even when I was alone with Ochaco and Kirishima I was surrounded by others, and I wasn't truly able to relax. But sheltered inside my room, I could truly let my regal act fall. I sighed, turning to the handle of my room and placed my hand on it ready to open my door.

I shivered, the handle was cold against my warm skin, something I wasn't expecting as I began to push my door forward. My face was met with a gust of breezy air as the door moved into my room, cloaked in darkness. It was colder in here than I normally liked it, and I was surprised the maids had let it get this way.

It wasn't a big deal however, and I could fix it with a few blankets, so I thought nothing of it as I fished around my wall for the lights, holding my door slightly open to allow a small stream light to guide me. As I found it and flipped the switch however, I was startled, shaken from my safety by a masculine voice. "I'm not here to kidnap you, and I'm not backing out either."

He stood by my bed, leaning against it, toned arms crossed over his chest and a scowl shone under his bangs. I was frozen by his stare again, unable to scream, and I watched the complexity of his hair bounce as he threw his head to the side to look at me.

He was here, in my room, on my ship and standing before me. Alone. Why?

He nor I moved, we just stared at each other, and I watched as his eyes flickered up and down my body. Slightly, some part of me burned under his inspectoral gaze; I wanted to retreat, not because he was him, and he was here, but because I didn't like the judgement in his eyes as he looked at me.

He remained still as he came to look me in the eye again and my blood ran cold, both from his magic and my fear and hatred of the man before me. He looked peculiar in my room, surrounded by so much white and gold while he still sported his dark navy color. He'd tossed his heavy jacket from earlier however, as now it was draped across my bed and he stood in his slacks and a tucked in navy button down.

He stood and acted as if he owned this room, as if it belonged to him, and I felt bile rise in my throat at the thought. This was mine, and it would never be his; he would never have my kingdom.

Many minutes had passed since I'd come into my room, and neither of us had said anything beside his initial greeting. He closed his eyes and inhaled sharply before letting the breath out slowly and looking at me. "Let's talk." It wasn't an offer or a question, but it wasn't a demand either. It was simply a statement, one future monarch to another.

While I hated this man, while I loathed him, while I wanted nothing to do with him other than to scream out to my guards and have them arrest him here and now, something stopped me. I didn't do as I was raised, I didn't flee from him and I didn't attack him. I closed my door.

I closed it, pushing it behind me, waiting for the resounding click it made as it closed before I responded. "Let's talk."

 **So, long chapter. What'd y'all think? Review and let me know, also, Deku definitly won the Ochaco poll, which is now closed. But thank you to everyone who voted, and I'm sorry to those of you who wanted Bakugo to win (like me, so sad). Maybe I'll write a story after this one for Bakugo and Ochaco, who knows? Oh, and to the guest who wanted Shoto to come off cool and intimidating, I hope you liked his entrance!**


	7. Chapter 7 : Breath

**Hey guys! So sorry for not updating sooner, I just got so busy and had no time! I'm still really busy, so dont expect weekly updates or anything, prolly only safe to assume I'll update every month or so! Anyway, Thanks for all the reviews! They were awesome and help so much! Hope you like this chapter just as much aws the last one; let me know!**

I remained close to my door while he causally leaned on the frame of my bed; in the event that he attacked, I could make a quick escape. Unlike my bed back home, this one sported a shiny, golden frame that rose high, nearly to the ceiling, and he almost seemed small beside it…almost. I knew better though, I'd seen so earlier today.

While I despised him with every cell of my body, I recognized his attractiveness. His whole being was put together to take your breath away and it was his eyes that drew me in the most, capturing me like a lost fish in a strong net. The blue one threw me off my balance immediately, and I could feel myself pressing my back flush against my door to distance myself from him.

His broad torso was faced away from me slightly, but his eyes were so focused on mine that I felt he was inspecting me again. Every time he looked at me it was like he was searching for something, but I had no idea what.

The frigid air between us, filled to the brim with his magic, layered my furniture and door in a cold, wet dew which moved with his body as he uncrossed his arms and legs, standing at his full height and bringing his torso to face mine. We were only a matter of feet away as he buried his hands in his pockets slouching slightly, and for the first time he looked tired and somewhat sad amongst the frothy air. Where his lips had always been in a pressed line until now, a light frown settled on his face.

His hair shook as he looked to the floor and moved his head from side to side, red and white mixing gracefully and stirring the visible mist in the room. "Are you afraid of me?" A somber tone filled the air as he spoke, never bringing his head up and merely leaving it down toward the floor. His question unnerved me a little, both confusing me as to why he cared and how he didn't already know the answer. Could he tell how uncomfortable I was? Of course he could, I was a fool to think otherwise.

Body language was always a good indicator toward someone's feelings, and mine screamed fear. My palms laid flat against the cold, metal surface of my door while my chest rose with my breath, pressing my back to my door with every exhale. I didn't want to be honest, to submit to him, so I lied. My response was nothing more than a meek, little "No", to which he laughed at, bringing his head up to eye level with a sad smile.

The man leaned against my bed again leaving his hands in his pockets while his smile turned somber, deeper, and he stared at me, taking me in. His blue eye was like a beacon, every time it met my eyes it was the only thing I could see; in all honestly, I had no idea what his face looked like, I'd always been so distracted by his blue eye. All too soon I was roped in by it, freezing me in place. "You're lying." He never lost that somber smile.

I, however, grew confused, cocking my head as much as I could while being stilled by his gaze. My ribcage expanded, filling with the misty air as I attempted to speak. "Why do you think that?" It came out soft but firm, only slightly exposing my true feelings while the rocking of the ship reminded me how caged he was then, as he had no where to run and he was surrounded by a whole Ceracian naval fleet. What was he doing here?

I followed his blue eye as he rotated his head from one shoulder to the other losing his previous smile and replacing it with a deep frown. "You don't have to be." He didn't answer my question rather, he chose to ignore it completely. His hand came out of his pocket then, and his head looked down to my bed as he rubbed his palm along the white, ruffled comforter. "I like silk, but it's too light for my kingdom. Perfect for yours though, I'll bet." I listened to the sad echo of his voice while we both watched his hand rubbing slow circles on my bed, relishing in the feeling.

How dare he; how dare he touch what belongs to me, be where only I should be? "And why not?" My voice was firmer than last time and I'd finally added volume to it, finding my courage. Although I'd grown in confidence, he chuckled lightly, amused by my question and continued to rub his hand over my bed. The action angered slightly, so I decided to try again. "Why don't I have to be afraid of you?" I was curious; just what went through that peculiar head of his?

His head rose from my bed, yet he didn't turn his eyes to me, he chose to stare at the wall instead, his messy, yet pristine, hair covering part of his face. "Can you sing?" There it was, the same question the blue eye had asked in my dream. Perhaps I was right, it was a premonition, a warning, telling me to beware the man who stood not fifteen feet from me.

I laughed lightly, almost mockingly through my shock. "No." Although I could, I found no reason why he deserved the truth. I'd finally found the confidence to lift my shoulders from my door and let my hands dangle beside me; it did little to calm my nerves, but it was the demonstration that was more important.

He didn't seem to like my answer however, as he turned to me sharply with blades of ice and fire in his eyes. "You're lying again." His hand stopped its movement and simply rested on the silky surface of my bed. The blue in his eye turned dark, and the gray became clouded as he scowled at me, disapproving of my behavior up till now.

I stared almost in disbelief, caught once more in his gaze as he seemed to read me like a book. "How?" I'd wanted to ask how he knew that, how he knew when I was lying, but I couldn't. His eyes were too mesmerizing, too startling for me to say anything more. If someone had told me he'd placed a curse or enchantment on me every time our eyes met, I'd believe them. Whenever my onyx gaze was met with his mismatched one, all forms of thought seemed to cease in my mind and my words only came out as breathy whispers; it amazed me how much power this man had over me.

He closed his eyes and looked to my ceiling as if recalling a distant memory, shoulders slouched and hand on my bed; he looked completely relaxed in that moment, simply content in my room. As he brought his face back to mine, his eyes lightened and he took his hand from my bed putting it back into his pocket while taking a single step forward. "You've sung to me before." What? His voice was low and soft as he spoke, slowly letting the words and their meanings sink in. I felt my mouth and shoulders drop as my brows went as far down as they could, confusion spreading throughout my body. "In your room."

While I wished he was, I could tell from the dark look on his face that he wasn't joking. He was telling the truth. Full seconds passed before my mind was fully able to register the meaning of his words. He's been in my room; not the one here, not the one he's in now, not the one on this ship. But my real room, with my shell bed and gaping windows; he'd been in the one place I'd always felt safe.

"My dream…" I breathed out, and he chuckled shaking his head amused while I felt as if my confidence came and went like the phases of the moon. His amusement didn't die as leaned back to my door for support, and he began turning in a slow circle, evaluating my room like he'd done me when we first met. The action caused him to take two large steps toward me, and while we were still likely several feet away from each other, he was much too close for comfort as a new, brisk cold took over my body.

I watched the square shape of his shoulders turn against the backdrop of my room, turning to gaze at every nook and cranny that belonged to me. Why was he so interested in me and my things? Finally, his inspected stopped and he settled his stare on a large painting on the wall above my walnut dresser. The painting hung on the same wall as my door, only a few feet to my left. I didn't have to look at it to know what was in the painting as it had been passed down in my family for generations.

It was of an ancient legend, one told by my people, that described the birth of Ceraci. His people weren't in the legend and I doubted he knew it, yet he seemed to admire the painting. It glorified our ability to create and worshiped the beauty of our land with many pastel and golden colors.

A woman had been painted in the right side of the painting with a gold, shimmery cloth covering her body, wrapping around her stomach, legs, and arms elegantly while her dark hair flowed away from her body, up and toward the right corner. She looked to be floating, hovering above the pastel green meant to represent land while her right arm was stretched out, reaching for the smaller towns people in the bottom left corner of the painting. Behind her arm and past the land was our crystal ocean and light morning sky as pinks and purples swirled about on the paintings horizon.

She is known as The Yaororozu, the first of my line and creator of all Ceracians. Legend says that she rose from the sea after descending from the heavens and gifted the people with part of her ability to create, guiding them from poverty and depression to the beauty and wealth of our nation.

I watched his face as he stared at the painting and for the first time, free of his eyes enchantments, I really saw him for what he was. He was a gruesome monster, a deep red scar covering half his face with blood red hair creating dancing shadows over his eye. The flesh surrounding his blue eye, while clearly healed long ago, was over-cooked and rugged, pulling the charred, red skin into many ghastly figures.

How had I never noticed his vulgarity before? Had I been that blind, that consumed by his gaze? That enchanted by his stare? I knew my eyes were wide as I gapped at him, blatantly mocking his harrowing appearance yet, either he didn't notice as he perused the painting, or he ignored the disgusted way my face turned about and the deep inhale of my breath; I suspected the latter.

We both remained as we were, each studying both the most beautiful and ugly things in the room as the ship rocked beneath us. The only lighting was the dull light at the ceiling, its rays only serving to make the man more grotesque, more savage, while the stagnant cold that surrounded me was a constant reminder of his power. My courage was acting like a phantom wave, both present and not, and I found myself retreating back to my door however, before I could press myself flush against its hard surface again, I heard his voice.

"What is it?" his head was cocked slightly to the side while his hands laid cozily in his pockets, shoulders slouched, and a content line replaced his frown. That was all he said, and he never turned to look at me. Was he asking why I'd made such a horrid face, or was he asking about the painting? I turned my shoulder finding the metal of my door as my eyes regarded the painting as well, contemplating what to say next as I watched his scared flesh carefully. Perhaps, it'd be best to settle with the less offensive topic for now.

"It's The Yaororozu, the first of my kind and my line." This was good, a neutral topic to settle my nerves once more. If he wasn't asking about the painting, then hopefully he'd ignore my crude actions earlier and fake interest in the lore behind my people. From the corner of my eyes I could see his head rotate, coming up from its earlier tilt to gaze at the painting curiously, almost in awe of the image before him. His back straightened too, and his posture returned to the perfect soon to be ruler I'd seen earlier.

I felt a turn in the nipping cold, neither becoming warmer nor colder, just turning around the room, mist swirling around my face. "She's beautiful." For once, it was his voice that was no more than a whisper. My own head moved from the painting to see his, intrigued by his tone; his eyes were direct, only staring at The Yaoyorozu, as he stepped forward nearing the painting. He reached forward, seemingly to grasp at the painted woman, but his hand came short by a fraction of an inch as he stopped just before the painting, just out of reach, fingers and arm extended waiting to touch the paint.

His hand looked large against the painting of the dainty Yaoyorozu, and vaguely I could see the deep callouses the coated his palm. Again, I was reminded that this man, the monster barring a nightmarish scar, was a warrior with the strength to flatten whole platoons. I breathed, remembering his comment and ignoring the way his hand drooped slowly back to his side, "She was regarded as the most stunning and beautiful woman the people had ever seen." I stepped back from the door turning my torso to face the painting as well. "She descended from the heavens to gift us with her beauty, grace, and magic." She was queen.

I heard a soft snort beside me and my head whipped to him when I heard him chuckle lightly, "Your people worship a fallen god then?" At his comment, my nose and brows scrunched downward in displeasure; how dare he mock me on my own ship, how dare he mock my people when his were known for eating the blood-soaked snow off the ground. His shoulders bounced lightly, only for a brief moment, amused as he turned his head so he could look me in the eyes.

I could see it coming, the spell he would place on me, so I quickly looked away, catching the painting in my view and studying it like my life depended on it. "We give thanks to those who've blessed us, yes. She gave our land beauty, our people grace, and our souls magic. You'd do well to remember that if you truly wish to make peace with us". As if to annoy me further, he smirked at my bitter tone and remark. I was both angry at his presence and offended by his comments; I wanted him gone.

I inhaled a loud breath, letting him know how cross I was with him, "Why are you here, Shoto Todoroki?" Pulling his own tactic, I refused to look at him as I spoke, instead turning on my heel to walk to my nightstand. "I've things to do before bed and things to do after, so if you've something to say, say it now or begone." I reached up, plucking the earrings from my face as I waited for him to continue the conversation. From my anger, courage and bravery spewed out of me like an erupting volcano, both full and volatile.

His feet audibly moved behind me, but I didn't turn to see his posture fearful that I might find his eyes, and I heard him sigh. I could feel the scowl that'd be on his face if I turned, and the hole his eyes bore into my back was nearly unbearable. "Peace." His tone was short as I heard the creaking of the wooden slats beneath us, evidence that he was slowly approaching me. He sounded so determined, so certain as I reached up to undo my hair.

I let it fall naturally, placing all ornaments that'd previously been in it beside my earrings. "And what do you propose then?" Another creak, and another step. I knew he was coming up behind me, knew he would corner me between my bed, my walls, my nightstand and him, yet I couldn't move my feet, not even to turn around and face the monster.

Although I was quite tall, he was taller, not by much but I still felt as if he was towering over me when he stopped, close enough for me to feel the coldness of his breath. "Are you afraid of me?" I could see the air swirl beside my cheeks from his words and I deemed he was a fan of repeating himself. Slightly shaking, I continued to ready myself for bed, pretending to ignore both his general presence and closeness. My hair twisted in my hands, turning itself into a swirling bun as I wrapped a cloth band around it.

This was perhaps the poorest decision I'd ever made, as it exposed my neck to his cold breaths as he stood behind me. I shivered, fully intending to lie once more, but before I knew it a breathy "yes" had escaped my lips. He laughed, the air curling around my skin, and I knew that pompous smirk was back. My courage had gone full circle again, the waning and waxing of it settled into the new moon phase.

"Yaororozu," his voice turned suddenly serious, taking a deep tone and a stern volume, "I assure you, you have nothing to fear from me." Although my body continued to prickle, I could hear the seriousness in his voice; he meant what he said. Slowly, I placed my hands on my nightstand, leaning forward slightly to get away from his cold temperatures.

While I continued to shake, it was because of his cold, not his presence, yet I doubted he knew the difference. To him, I must have seemed so pathetic, being so fearful and helpless beside such a warrior. Oh, how I wished to prove him wrong; while I was afraid of him, I was not helpless. Throughout the years, Tokoyami had spent several nights teaching me small things here and there, and I could always rely on my magic if need be.

But what did he mean when he said I had nothing to fear from him? Was he not a warrior? Was he referring to his peace offer? Needless to say, his assurance did little to change my mind. "Actions speak louder than words, your grace." My voice changed as I spoke his title, churning with past anger from the loss of friends and family. "And the actions of both you and your people say otherwise." My hands were balled into small fists resting on my nightstand while dew began to stick to the hairs on my arms, making them stand slightly.

He drew a long, hard breath, releasing it slowly causing an icy gust to feather against my skin. That was it, I'd had enough; he'd toyed with me enough for one night, and I was through bantering with him, feeling my confidence go back and forth as his tone changed from content to somber to serious and back again. It was time for him to leave.

I swiveled on the balls of my feet so fast my dress billowed and wrapped around my legs before settling back down, and my voice sounded just as quick as my turn. "If you have a proposition for me Shoto Todoroki, say it now or leave before I call my guards." My arms came to cross over my chest as my chin rose up and my brows knotted over my eyes, symbols to show him that he was pestering me.

However, he didn't move, not an inch, not even a single muscle. He stared down at me, his serious nature shining through me so deep I could feel it in my lungs as they filled. I kept my eyes on his grey one, refusing to play his game any longer, fed up with his lack of respect and his presence.

It felt like time itself had ended and we'd be stuck like that forever as I noticed how close we were; my arms were brushing against the fabric on his chest, a ghost of a touch, but still a touch. Even our faces were closer than I'd expected; evidently, he'd come closer to me than I'd imagined, and when I turned around it only put him that much closer.

I wasn't aware of the breath he or I took, only the stern look in his eyes and way the air seemed to still. Before, the mist between us would curl and spin as we breathed or spoke, yet now, it only seemed to fall. The tiny white specks of dew and ice barely clouded my vision of him, but I could see them clearly against his grey eye, falling at a glacial pace, the only remnant of time left between us.

He squinted then, contemplating, thinking about his next move. At this point however, I'd grown impatient; it was now or never for him. "Out with it Shoto Todor-"

"Marry me." His voice was short and firm, betraying the deranged meaning of them. Excuse me? Marry him? My eyes were wide, and I felt the cold rush into my mouth as my lips parted slightly. My arms uncrossed bit as the shock fluttered down my spine and his insanity hit me all at once.

As my body and mind were reeling from what he'd said, his shoulders drew up and his eyes blinked shut for a moment before they opened with a new vigor. "The rift between us and our people is too large to be fixed by any other means. My spies could kill you in your sleep, or yours could kill me, but that wouldn't end this war. A marriage, between you and I, not based on love but by mutual understanding could…" I was certain he was still speaking, but my mind couldn't process the words.

Marriage? Spies? Did he really ask me to marry him and tell me he could have me killed all in one conversation? And what spy of his could get into my room, my sanctuary? Was he that pompous and ignorant to think that we'd just let anyone in? But then again, he'd managed to get in.

He was still speaking when I interrupted him, "Spies?" and he stopped what he'd been saying, realized his words had fallen on deaf ears. His shoulders drooped again while a smirk was plastered on that hideous face of his.

He chuckled lightly, "Spies. Did you really think we didn't have spies in that little temple of yours?" While the phrase was structured as a question, I knew it was statement. He had spies in the temple, people loyal to him and his family, not mine. That had done it, that was the true end of our conversation. He'd successfully frightened me for the night and now I wasn't sure if I'd be able to sleep.

I burst past him, calling out to my guards, to anyone really, and I felt his cold skin grasp my upper arm as I yelled. I caught a glimpse of his face as he yanked me back; he was looking out to my door startled, clearly not through speaking to me and not expecting me to call out. He brought a finger to his lips and shh'ed me, trying desperately to get me to calm down. But it was too late; he should know better than to threaten someone you're trying to reconcile with.

I thrashed, trying to free my arm but his hold was too firm, so I resulted to screaming. I screamed with all the air in my lungs, hollering out to the one person I knew would always come to rescue me, and it was a huge relief when Tokoyami swung the door open and came into view. His eyes were frantic at first and I watched as the situation registered in his mind.

Suddenly, I felt myself being pulled back by a much stronger force and a cold hand gripped my neck, thumb reaching one end of my jaw and fingers the other. "One step and I'll freeze her alive, she'll suffocate." I gasped as Shoto Todorki gripped my neck fiercely and Tokoyami's eyes darkened.

Tokoyami shook with rage, his balled fists rattling by his side, "Let her go." His voice was deep and dark, frightening as his shadows began to fill the room. What was once a lit gold color covered by a soft mist was now shrouded in a deep, smoky, blackness that seemed to writhe as if it was alive. His eyes and face were so petrifying I was scared for my captor, yet he seemed unfazed. The sound of boots meeting wood could be heard, evidence that Tokoyami had alerted the whole gurad.

"Not so fast shadow, I know your magic, retreat your shadows or she'll die." I couldn't see the man who'd proposed to me just moments ago as I clutched his arm with both my hands, but I knew the look on his face would be just as terrifying as Tokoyami's, who snarled at the man. Adrenaline filtered through my blood causing my heart rate to quicken and my eyes to go wide as the misty air turned to shards of glittering ice. I was startled by the quick thinking of Shoto Todoroki, and now that I was in danger I found myself even more afraid of the man than I was before.

Other men from my detail arrived and Tokoyami held up a hand to stop them in the doorway, holding them so Shoto Todoroki wouldn't make good on his threat. "Kill her, and it will be the last thing you ever do." I'd truthfully never seen this side of my friend and had I as a child I doubt I would've gotten over the fear I felt now for him. Once, my mother said I would always be safe with him, not only because he was good at his job but because he was a menacing force; I'd never truly understood what she meant, until now. His dark clothes and faces complimented each other well; had I not known better, I would've thought Tokoyami the monster.

As more and more Ceracians could be seen filing into the hallway outside my room, I felt Shoto Todorki tense and grip my neck even firmer. His arm was thick and strong, and struggle as I did, he wouldn't budge. "I only wanted to speak with her, I meant her no harm." He spoke slow, pronouncing each and every word carefully.

Yet his carful tone did nothing to subdue the fire in Tokoyami. "You've spoken to her, now let her go." He took a small step forward and his black cloak slid along the floor as it was dragged along with him, disturbing the fine crystals of ice as it brushed past.

The two men were having a death match with me in between, neither backing down yet both cautious. Shoto Todoroki was the first to make the next move. "Back away, out and into the hall. Now." He ordered Tokoyami around like Tokoyami was one of his subjects and I felt the fear running through my veins. Instinct and intelligence were fighting in my mind, one telling me to flee and the other to remain still. Had I been even slightly stronger, I could've twisted my body around and forced the man to let me go, but I could feel his strength at my throat and I knew I wouldn't be strong enough.

Tokoyami eyed him carefully, tilting his head in contemplation until small flakes of ice began to form on my skin, burning from their low temperatures. Tokoyami's brows rose upon seeing this as I struggled against the ice, and he raised both his arms into the air before taking slow steps back. "Okay, fine, I'm backing away." Tokoyami waved toward the other guards, and they back too backed away as Shoto Todoroki began ushering me forwards, taking small cautious steps. Pain shot through my neck where it was being held, and I could feel my blood turning cold in my veins.

As minutes flew by of us shuffling toward the door, my captor and I were out of my room and into the hallway, still with his frothy hand at my neck and little flakes of freezing ice on my skin. Tomoyami was in front of us with around six or seven guards, all donning their royal uniforms and lances, while three other guards stood a good distance behind us. Although Shoto Todoroki couldn't see them with his eyes, I knew he was acutely aware of the three as Tokoyami spoke, "Now let. Her. Go." His voice and eyes were deadly they were so threatening and full of hate as he eyed the dual haired prince. Tokoyami's arms returned to his side and as my eyes grazed over him, I registered the pose he was in. He had one foot planted and the other ready to spring off of, easily able to dash forward while his eyes were solely focused on my captor. Tomoyaki was ready for a fight; he almost seemed like he wanted to fight.

The future Tsar let out a labored breath while bringing his chin to rest on my shoulder, the action causing my guards to shuffle uncomfortably and Tokoyami to snarl and take a daring few steps forward. "Think about what I said" was whispered into my ear before I felt my body being thrown forward and I heard a splintering noise behind me.

My eyes closed, ready for impact with the hard floor, but my stomach was met with a strong arm hoisting me up to save me. Relief and joy filled me like a balloon when I opened my eyes to see Tokoyami, who held me up with one arm while he used the other to wave at his men instructing them to follow the now fleeing prince who'd frozen the three guards behind us in a pillar of ice. Heavy breaths escaped my lungs as the adrenaline was still pumping through my veins and I found myself grasping on to Tokoyamis arm, leaning onto it for support. '

Gently, he set me on my knees before bringing his other hand to my neck, grazing the frosted flakes there with worry in his eyes. "Are you okay?" He was still inspecting my neck and all words caught in my throat; I could have died, just moments ago, and my people would've been without an heir, without a future, and Tokoyami without a best friend. What had I been thinking talking to that….savage? My mother would've been so furious she'd have marched our army right into their lands in the dead of winter and this war would go on forever. Ochaco would've cried for days, and poor Kirishima would've lost his lustrous smile. I couldn't even imagine the pain Tokoyami would've felt; I know he would blame himself, thinking he failed.

Numerous thoughts of my friends and family ran through my head until I felt a strong grip at both my cheeks. "Momo, are you alright?" I locked eyes with Tokoyami who held my face in his hands as he kneeled beside me, both of us completely oblivious to the world around us. His brows were raised with worry and his eyes looked so deep and fearful I wanted to cry. I'd never seen him like this either, so afraid, and it hurt to know it had been my fault; I never should've spoken to that man.

I inhaled, cold air filling my lungs and closed my eyes for a brief moment before I was ready to speak. "I'm fine." I spoke clearly, not allowing my past fear to shake my words and I watched as Tokoyami's fear melted away. He smiled lightly, before looking up and over my head, frowning. Darkness seeped into his eyes then, and his face morphed with hate and anger icy crystals danced in the air.

I became aware of the world around me then; Kirishima was standing to my right with his hand on my shoulder, frowning and pale whilst other guards zoomed past the three of us heading in the direction of the prince where yelling and the splintering of ice could be heard. Tokoyami's expression looked distant for a second, until he reached up swiftly and caught was of the dashing guards by the collar. "You, stay here and make sure she's safe, take her to her room and lock the door." His order was clear and direct, and the guard nodded in understanding while Tokoyami addressed a guard beside the one he'd just spoken to. "You, go find her mother and stay with her, keep the Queen safe." Even amongst chaos Tokoyami was clear headed; he was the eye in the storm, the calm, a leader.

The guard nodded before dashing off the way he came, flying past the ornate vases, pictures, and paintings in the hallway while the other one offered me a hand and a reassuring smile, which I gratefully accepted. I would be fine, both Tokoyami and Kirishima were with me now, I was okay. As I stood, Tokoyami turned 180 degrees before grabbing the front of Kirishimas shirt and yanking him forward. "Protect Momo. Don't you dare let her out of your sight." Both Kirishima and I were wide eyed at Tokoyami's action, until Tokoyami let go of Kirishima and put his hand on my arm for a moment before he too dashed off after the prince, his black cloak flying behind him.

I was left in shock; Tokoyami was supposed to stay with me, protect me, not leave me. Sure I had Kirishima, but I'd always had Tokoyami, needed Tokoyami. The guard he'd ordered to take me back to my room said a few words, ushering me to go with him, but my mind was elsewhere. I could see Kirishima beside me, left gawking at his captain who'd left his princess for revenge. Evidently, Tokoyami's actions had stunned Kirishima as well.

At first, my nerves settled and I was left thinking about how I'd get Tokoyami back for just leaving me there, until I realized he could be hurt. Yes, Tokoyami is a warrior, a powerful one, but so is Shoto Todoroki. I've felt both of their magic, and their physical strength; Tokoyami could harm, if not kill, Shoto Todoroki, but that coin went both ways. Tokoyami could die.

Before the thought even finished flying through my head I was already running after my lifelong friend, passing guard filled glacier after glacier. I had to dance around scattered pottery and broken wood every now and then while I ran, feeling sorry for the poor souls who were trapped within Shoto Todoroki's ice. Burnt clothing and frozen men were plentiful now and I weaved through them as each and every one called out after me, pleading with me to stop.

I understood that what I was doing wasn't safe, and it went against what Tokoyami had wanted, but if he wanted me to stay behind then he should've stayed there with me. How dare he leave his princess, how dare he leave me.

It was a pretty easy trail to follow as Shoto Todoroki was kind enough to leave evidence of his magic behind. Ice and fire were strewn about the hallways like child having a temper tantrum where beaten guards laid at their mercy.

Normally, I'd try to help our guards, or at least make sure they were alive, but now, I wasn't even pausing when Kirishima hollered after me. I just kept running, hoping to find Tokoyami before he found his prey. If the two men collided, I knew it'd be the fight of the decade and I doubted either of them would walk away unscathed. One would die, but the other would be severely injured.

I began climbing the staircase that lead to the deck and my heart sank into my stomach; if I've made it all the way to the deck without running into Tokoyami, then surely he's already fighting Shoto Todoroki. I gripped the partially charred wooden railing where the decoration had been burnt off, fearing for my friend as I pulled myself up the stairs.

I flung the doors open, whipping my head about madly trying to locate my dark friend and finding a crowd of our guards near the edge of the ship, standing and talking to one another. "Milady, please stop! It's not safe!" Kirishima was close behind me, still calling for me as I jogged over to the crowd and slowed to a walk.

What were they doing just standing there, didn't they know what was happening? As they noticed me, the guards moved out of my way, making a path for me where I finally found Tokoyami. He was hunched over, knuckles white as he gripped the side of our ship with his head ducked down so low I couldn't see it over his shoulders. His cloak fell to the ground, black engulfing his figure making him appear larger than an average man.

I was panting when he spoke with a voice lower and deadlier than I'd ever heard from him. "I wasn't fast enough" Anger bubbled in his voice and he shook from his rage. "He's gone."

 **So, I'm realizing this story is having an unintended effect, which is the Tokoyami and Momo pairing. I can assure y'all this was not my intention, but I think it's really funny, and when I went back and reread all my chapters, including this one (especially this one) I can see where the pairing came from, lol! Unfortunatly though, this is a Shoto/Momo fic, so Tokoyami's gotta find himself another gal! Also, to the guest who mentioned pairing Bakugo with Camie, I actually only watch the show, so while I've heard of her, I don't really know much about her. I, as a writer, dont feel like I have enough of her personality to work with to write about her. That being said, I could include her in my story, but she would come out as a character that I derived all on my own basically (I hope that makes sense). I'll think about it though. And, for those of you who didn't vote Deku in my Ochaco poll, don't wrorry, I promise I won't make Deku completely boring; he does have his place in my story, you guys just havent realized it fully yet (I havent even given you the clues to realize it yet). The next story I write will be a Bakugo/Ochaco one, I promise, and I've already got the pot worked out so all I have to do is finish this one (trust me I'm with y'all on the whole Bakugo/Ochaco ship!)! Anyway, I think I've addreassed all my comments from last time and my thoughts so yeah, please review and until next time!**

 **Drink Lots of Hot Chocolate Y'all!**


	8. Chapter 8 : Return

**Hey guys, sorry for the long wait on the chapter! I hope you like it! Review and let me know!**

My mother had been a wreck the whole way back, both frantic and angry at the same time. She'd forbidden me from being alone, to which I heavily protested, till after I was officially coronated as Queen. I'd have a female guard in my room as I slept and Tokoyami was always to be near. I was used to him, but aside from Ochaco and now Kirishima, I wasn't used to anyone.

A small emptiness had filled me since the night I'd spoken to the monster-faced prince along with an awkwardness between Tokoyami and me. Ochaco and Kirishima could both sense it, but neither had said anything toward the matter. I'd had enough of it though, so now, as we approached the gates of the canal to the bay of our capital, I walked the deck of our ship in search of my greatest friend.

I'd spotted him earlier walking with my mother, and I was certain he hadn't had the time to descend to the lower sections of the ship. Luckily, it didn't take me long to find him. He was slouched with his upper body hung over the side of the ship. His forearms sat on the edge while he gazed down at the pristine, vibrant blue water below.

Tokoyami didn't move as I approached him, but I knew the light tapping of my sandals against the wooden deck told him I was approaching. "We're almost home." He sounded fine, but I knew otherwise.

Straightening my back, I approached the side of the ship and placed my hands on the edge as I too looked down at the water. "Yes, I've missed it, but I didn't come to talk to you about our home." He sighed in response and rose to stand at his full height beside me, lacing his hands beside mine.

"I know." I turned my head to face him directly as his eyes stared at the waves, waiting for him to continue. A few seconds passed until he sighed again, closing his eyes and running a hand through that spikey, black hair of his. "I'm sorry."

I didn't want or need him to be sorry, I just wanted him to explain. I just wanted to know why he left me, why he seemed so eager to fight, so violent. "You don't have to be, I just want to know why." My voice was soft but audible over the passing water as we passed through the gates and into the bay.

Tokoyami opened his eyes and followed the large golden structures as they retreated into the mountainside before he turned his head slightly to look me in the eyes. Sorrow sat in his dark pupils, and a sadness washed over me as I saw the pain he was in. Instinctively, I reached out to him, placing one of my dainty hands on top of his. "He just set me off. It'd been years since I'd seen him and seeing him again just set me off."

My brows drew down in confusion; was he referring to the Zambetzi prince? Had they met? "Who?" Tokoyami chuckled lightly as he cast his head downward in thought.

"The guard, Katsuki Bakugo. He was the angry one with the Tsar." The guard? I was even more confused now. Clearly, Tokoyami had met him before, but where? I let my eyes ask the question as I smiled lightly at him. He cleared his throat before continuing.

"It was a long time ago, but the rage within him was unmistakable. We'd met on the battlefield while I was still in training. He wasn't a member of the Royal Guard back then either, but I was still assigned to you." That's odd, I couldn't remember a time when Tokoyami had left my side to fight in the war. "You'd left the capital to attend a banquet in another country and we were ambushed on our way back. I was instructed to stay with you, but you'd been knocked unconscious. Since I was still technically in training, there were two guards with us as well, but that left the others back at the original ambush." Suddenly, the time he spoke of came back to me. I'd attended a birthday party of a princess to the deep south, below even our country, and we were ambushed on our back home, near the capital. I was just a girl, and Tokoyami just a boy, but I could remember the funerals very clearly. All but three of my detail had been killed that day. All but three had survived that battle. That was the battle that had named Tokoyami the head of my guard.

His voice knocked me out of my own memories, and I watched his eyes carefully with my own. "We could still see them as the fight raged on, and it was a sure win for us. I don't think they had meant to ambush us in all honestly, I think it was just coincidence that we all just met on the road. The Zambetzi forces were small in number and, for the most part were easily defeated."

I interjected then, interrupting his detailing of his past. "So they were all killed?" He frowned in response and his eyes turned into a serious, dark cloud as they stared back into mine.

Nodding his head, he continued. "Yes, or so I thought. There was one among them who was particularly strong." Even without saying it, I knew who Tokoyami was referring to. The volatile guard we'd met only a few days ago. "He took down man after man, all without his magic like it was nothing, until it happened. As their forces dwindled, the Zambetzi grew desperate. When only he, Katsuki Bakugo, and two others of theres remained, they stood against six of your guard."

As he spoke, Tokoyami seemed to grow angrier and angrier. He clenched his fists and his face twisted into something maniacal. His breathing even seemed to be affected. "Those wretched dogs…" He seethed, facing once again at the passing water. "They were offered the choice to surrender peacefully, given the option to live, but they refused. They couldn't accept failure, screamed "For the Tsar", as one pulled out an explosive." I shuddered, as explosives were a Zambetzian weapon designed to give them an advantage over my people in battle.

It was their belief that since they could wield fire they could live through the explosion, at least it was their Tsars. Not Shoto, but Enji Todoroki. It only resulted in hundreds of bloodbaths though, as many of their people wielded ice, not fire, and even those who did most times didn't survive. They'd since stopped using them for the most part due to their death toll, and the explosives the Zambetzi still made had been refined into a more stable weapon.

I gave a gentle squeeze to Tokoyami's hand, letting him know that I was still there, I was with him. And I always would be. A small part of his anger dissipated at the action and he brought his gaz to our hands. "If not for my shadows, we'd of all died that day. I engulfed us in darkness, shielding us from the blast…but I could only reach us and the two guards beside you. That was it." I felt it then, his regret for not saving the others that day.

It was a heavy weight to carry, and an old one for him. "But that man, that guard. He was there, and he still lived. Why? How did he do it? He never used any magic that day, so we thought he didn't have any…but clearly we were wrong." I grasped him in my arms, engulfing him in a large hug.

"It wasn't your fault Tokoyami, they pulled out the explosive. How were you supposed to know?" His reaction to me was immediate as he wrapped his fit arms armed me and laid his head on my shoulder. "That man, I understand why you can't stand him either. He was vulgar and ill-mannered, I didn't like him either."

Tokoyami chuckled lightly, distancing himself from me and placing his hands on my shoulders. "I know, but when I saw him, talking casually to the Tsar as if it'd never happened, I was furious. I could hardly think straight." That statement alone terrified me, as Tokoyami was a man who always had a level head on his shoulders. Or so I'd thought; the fact that the sight of another alone could have such an affect on Tokoyami was almost unbelievable. Tokoyami smiled then, a true and genuine smile, and it was perhaps the first true smile from him since he'd become enraged. "I'm sorry, I should have talked to you sooner. I knew you were concerned, and I knew you'd make me feel better, you always do, but I wanted the pain."

My eyes and face must've shown the question on the tip of my tongue. "Because I had forgotten them. My fellow soldiers who died that night, I can't remember their names." Tokoyami released me and looked away in shame. "I was so riled with anger not just because he was there…" slowly, Tokoyami brought his eyes back to mine and continued, "but also because I couldn't remember those that he killed."

My friend had been carrying a darkness around with him the whole way home, and I'd done nothing to help him until now. I could see that, for the most part, he was back to normal, but the sorrow and regret still hung loosely in his eyes.

If left to his own thoughts, my friend had the unfortunate habit of dwelling in his own failures and finding everything wrong with himself that was actually perfect, as most people do. From our years of friendship, I'd learned that to make him happier, to release his demons, he just needed to talk about it. Let someone else hold them for a few, and then forget about them. Perhaps not entirely, but he needed to concentrate on the other things in front of him, the good things.

Knowing this, I loosely hugged him again as the boat jerked beneath us and came to a stop. I looked around, over Tokoyamis shoulder at the many golden dressed men and women aboard our ship preparing to leave this ship and return home. My mother was nowhere to be seen, thankfully, as what I was about to ask Tokoyami would not please her, but it would take his mind off his past and it was something I'd decided to ask him since my little talk with the fire and ice demon himself.

I drew back as Tokoyamis eyes gazed at the scenery behind me, my city, and I noted the deep contrast between him and the deep blue sky. He was so dark, so black in color against such a vibrant backdrop and yet, he wasn't frightening at all, not to me.

"Tokoyami, I need you to train me to defend myself." The wind against my hair and face helped push my words to him, and he slightly recoiled when he heard what I'd said. The seriousness of my voice must have reached him though, as he nodded before responding.

"Alright, but might I ask why? You know your mother won't approve." I'd had some training as a child, but that all stopped once I became the only heir at an early age. But I needed to learn, so that the next time I saw him, the next time I was in the grasp of a fiend so dastardly, I'd be able to help Tokoyami and my people by escaping on my own.

I'd watched Tokoyami train and fight so many times that I was fairly certain I knew the moves to close combat, but I knew I lacked the strength. So, if strength was what I needed to get the upper hand, to stare death in the face without trembling, then I would get it. I would become stronger.

Watching my friend stalk across this ship for the past few days with nothing but a scowl on his face made it clear to me that I, as I was, was no match for the Todoroki. If I was expected to or ever wanted to be the leader everyone already thinks I am, I needed to learn how to be strong. So I would.

As I explained this to Tokoyami who listened intently, shaking his head in understanding a few times, bells and cheers could be heard celebrating our return home. The people were rejoicing even though we'd failed; they were just happy we came back alive.

Ochaco and Kirishima walked up to us as Tokoyami finished discussing when, and more importantly where, I would be trained. Golden wisps of color was floating in the air and it circled my two approaching friends in large patterns; it was another symbol of the peoples happiness and a creation of my people called wind paint. Generally, it was only used during our greatest celebrations.

Ochaco let out a giddy laugh and lunged toward me in glee, "We're finally home Momo! I can't wait to go swimming!" Her jovial attitude spread to Tokoyami instantly as he and I both laughed at her display. She had taken ahold of my arm and rushed toward the ramp that led off the ship, stopping just before it to gaze at the water.

As we laughed, Kirishima was stuck in a stunned expression with his shoulders slouched, his fitted uniform doing close to nothing to hide his poor posture. He mumbled a bit, before turning to Tokoyami and shook the man out of his laughter. "But, Captain, are we allowed to call the Princess…Momo?" Suddenly, we all understood his confusion.

Kirishimas dilemma only fueled Ochacos and my laughter, but the use of Kirishimas nickname for Tokoyami, albeit respectful, earned him a glare and short toned response which only cause us to laugh harder. "No." Tokoyami spit the word out as he stepped forward and offered his arm to me so we could walk together. Tokoyami liked the ex-farm boy and respected him, but he would never admit it to him.

As we began walking, taking descending steps down to the stone street of my kingdom, Tokoyami tossed one more witty remark over his shoulder to Kirishima. "Also, just because you're poor, it doesn't mean your posture has to be too. You're in the presence of the Princess, remember?" I shook my head lightly as Tokoyami gave me a small wink.

Tokoyami was happy once again, and I relished in the feeling as Kirishima instantly apologized to me and straightened up while a faint pink color filled his cheeks. Ochaco just laughed beside him, wiping a tear from under her eye. Zestful banter erupted between Tokoyami and Kirishima soon after when Tokoyami and Ochaco both referred to me as 'Momo' purposefully, and I listened to the humor in their voices as Tokoyami guided me back to the temple.

I smiled brightly at all the people who'd gathered on the street to wave or welcome me home, and our capital was as beautiful as it was before we left. The golden wisps in the air had followed us from the ship and danced in the sky above us and the grand marble arches and large trees that framed our streets. Most of the flowers had died before we left due to the changing of the seasons, but there were a few that remained in full bloom, their colors shining through the trees or on the vines that grew on the arches.

Thanks to the warm weather and our caretaking, most of our plants stayed lush year-round and filled the city with a green aroma that I always welcomed. The temple grew larger and large as we approached, and I took a deep inhale of the warm and joyous air around me. I let it fill my nostrils and the sounds of my people and friends filled my ears. "It's good to be home." I sighed out, and to my right I could hear a soft laughter.

I recognized the voice as one of my close friends, and the only human alive with the ability to instantly turn Tokoyami into a mumbling mess. Stopping just before we entered the temple, I turned to face the woman in the crowd and instantly felt Tokoyami tense and go stiff as a board. "I'm glad," Her voice washed over the crowd and other noises around us as I approached her, dragging Tokoyami with me. "Because I have a present for you, Milady."

Her dark eyes sparkled as she looked up at us and Ochaco darted over to give her a strong hug. I was glad to see her, even if she hung her back they way she did and stuck her tongue out occasionally. Tokoyami and I stood before her as she welcomed me home and smiled before turning to the man beside me. "Tokoyami." She cooed and nodded her head; green tinted hair followed the movement, her bangs framing her round face as the bow her hair made slung over her shoulder.

Her hair matched her clothing as they were both green, but her flowy skirt held a lighter shade than her hair. It came to a tied bow on her hip and had an opening over her leg with a ruffled edge. Small lily pads and koi patterns were colored with tan and gold toward the bottom of the material, and she wore a fitted green top the color of her hair that tied at the back of her neck and ended slightly above her skirt.

Instantly, all eyes were on Tokoyami as it was a well known fact among my friends that he had feelings beyond that of just friendship toward her. His mouth quivered slightly and he darted his eyes away from her faster than lightning; despite all the tactical training he'd received as a youth, he still got nervous when he talked to her. He grew uncomfortable and fidgeted from side to side, all too aware of the woman in front of him. "Hey…Tsuyu." Her large eyed filled with jest and her smile widened as her tongue hung loosely, just barely touching her lips. Honestly, sometimes I felt as though she just tortured him.

 **Hey again guys, I hope you liked the chapter. I know, it was short and kind of boring, but it'll pick up again in the next chapter as Momo begins training. Also, to the review who said I portrayed her as weak, I know. I did it on purpose these past few chapters. In the anime, she has confidence issues she had to overcome, and she does here to. She has to grow, and she will. She may not be strong now, but she won't be a damsel in distress for long. You just caught me one or two chapters too soon! Anyway, hope you guys a great holiday and have a great year!**


	9. Chapter 9 : Wish

**Hey guys! SO, been writing this chapter for a while and then, at like 10:30, saw that today was the anniversary of the story and decided I had to get the rest written before midnight. Currently its 11:56 so I'm going to post the chapter! It's 12 pages but not as many words as I normaly try to write, but ful of important details for later so be sure to leave me a review and let me know what you think?**

"You've got a gift? For me?" I was surprised, but enthusiastic. Her bright smile widened at me as I spoke and she tossed her deep, green hair behind her, moving a small portion of the golden wisps around us. The people were still in the thrill of our return, clapping and cheering wildly. Part of me was disturbed by their surprise that I'd returned, until I remembered the man who'd come into my room and taken me hostage. He was the enemy, and it was time to lead my people.

My head snapped back to the sound of Kirishimas voice, out of my own thoughts. "What's up, I'm Kirishima!" His voice was loud and sounded as exuberant as the crowd surrounding us; Tsuyu giggled lightly before extending her small hand, greeting him in return. Instantly, I felt the muscles in Tokoyamis arm contract, and I knew the stubborn little prick was jealous.

I watched as Tsuyu and Kirishima acquainted themselves while Ochaco stood beside her, listening to their conversation and interjecting every now and then. Smiling, I leaned my head over to Tokoyami, keeping my eyes on my other friends. "You know, one of these days you'll have to tell her how you feel." His eyes snapped to me in irritation and he shuffled lightly, huffing.

"Perhaps," his voice was low as it echoed in my ears and he lowered his head a bit, "but that day doesn't have to be today." I laughed in response; how my brave friend could be so enamored with a petite frog woman to the point he couldn't even speak properly around her I would never understand.

I tossed a quiet 'coward' his way before addressing Tsuyu. "Tsuyu, why don't you follow us into the Temple, and we can talk there!" It'd be much quieter as the marble walls would shield us from the joyous sounds of the crowds, not to mention the added privacy would allow me to relax a bit.

I was in 'Princess' mode now, straight back and royal pose, and I yearned to relax amongst my friends. Tsuyu nodded and gave us an eager wink before taking my hand and yanking me from Tokoyami. She bounded through the last few crowds of people in our way to the stairs and climbed them in a rush while she spoke. "I can't wait for you to see it, you'll love it!"

Her enthusiasm was as bright as ever, and I grew giddy at the thought of her gift. Tsuyu was a seamstress in the capital and even owned her own shop in one of the major plazas. She was well known for her elegant embroidery and detailing which made her clothing highly priced. She'd made many of my mother's dresses before, and I loved them all. Secretly, I hoped her present was one of her ornate skirts, one I could wear to the beach on breezy days and allow the wind to caress my skin as its many scents filled my nose. But at the same time, I also dreamed of one of her silky blankets, although I already had plenty.

Tsuyu was navigating about the Temple expertly, and I was slightly impressed with how well she knew the layout of the whole Temple. As far as I knew, she'd only ever been here when she was commissioned by my mother and taken straight to the pubic side of the temple, not the royal side.

Giggling as she tugged me along, I lightly teased her. "You sure know your way around for a simple seamstress Tsuyu!" She halted and I almost came crashing into her. A small froggish sound escaped her lips as she brought me close before whispering to me, bringing the smell of fresh lilies with her.

"But you see, I'm not just a _simple_ seamstress!" Her voice was filled with jest, and she swirled back around, marching towards my door as her bow tied hair flew behind her. Her feet came to an abrupt stop as her hand released mine and grasped the handle to my door and I found the contrast of her large hands on the petit handle slightly humorous.

Her cheeks grew a minuscule amount of pink as her head fell slightly while her eyes glued themselves to mine. "I really hope you like it, Momo." I could hear how nervous she was in her voice. Normally, she was calm and collected, the epitome of a level-headed frog. Her behavior today had already been a stark contrast to her normal demeanor, but to see her nervous was a shock. I giggled softly and reassured her; whatever she got me I knew it would be perfect.

The breeze glided across my face as it came from the open windows of my room after she pulled the doors apart from each other, and the gentle smell that accompanied the wind brought a large smile to my face. Somewhere in the temple, someone was making cannoli's, likely as a 'welcome home' dish for me. Seeing the gold and marble of my room again brought both comfort and excitement, relieving some of the stress and regret from the failed negotiations.

Tsuyu stood in the doorway waving her hands for me to enter excitedly as I looked back to her; the golden wisps from outside had invaded my room through the windows, and now it curled around her body and face, illuminating her goofy grin. "Thank you Tsuyu!" I had to laugh at the wide tongue that escaped her mouth after I spoke.

"Well, go on! It's on your desk!" Her voice followed her behind me, and she pushed me through my doorway, my sandals clicking against the polished floors, towards my desk. On its surface sat a shiny large, golden box with a thick, blue ribbon tied in a bow around it. It shined, reflecting the light back to me as my eyes widened at the gift eagerly. Its ribbon was thick and the bow it made looked like a flower with dozens of petals, all a bright turquoise. Kirishima bolted from the hallway to the side of my desk, looking perhaps more excited than I was as he told me to be a man and open it already. Ochaco was equally in awe of the box as she sat on my window ledge, her eyes focused solely on me and the gift while Tokoyami hung behind Tsuyu and I like a child. He was so petty sometimes.

Tsuyu's skirt brushed my own as she hoisted herself on my desk and pushed the box toward me all in one fluid movement. Her legs were crossed while she leaned back, the movement causing the lily pads and koi on her skirt to dance around her. "I started working on this when the Zambetzian princess came to the capital; you could say she was my inspiration!" Slightly, my eyes narrowed at the mention of the Zambetzi, as I knew now that they were a threat that needed to be dealt with, not an ally to be gained.

However, as disheartening as the mention of the ruby princess was, the idea of owning something as regal as her was exhilarating. I nodded lightly before weaving my fingers into the ribbon flower and untied it. The ribbon was cool to the touch and fell neatly around the box, pooling at its sides. Before I knew it, the golden lid sat beside Tsuyu and I was face to face with a gorgeous, garnet wool dress. I recoiled almost instantly, shocked at the design and the blatant reference to the Zambetzi.

My eyes darted over the exposed part of it as it sat folded in the box, gazing at every exposed detail. "It's…beautiful." I gasped lightly, amazed by the intricacy but dismayed by the concept. "But, why did you make it so much like…Her?" the question was out of my mouth before I could recall it, and I heard Ochaco whisper to Tokoyami the same thing I'd first said about the dress while Kirishima grinned from eye to eye; was I the only one disturbed by how much it looked like Fuyumi? Tsuyu laughed in response to my question.

She slid off my desk and came to stand beside me while reaching for the dress. "You haven't even really seen it yet, try it on and give it a chance before you dismiss it." The thick wool folded over her hands as it was lifted and passed to me. She practically threw the dress at me, tossing it into my arms before I could protest. But what decent person would reject a gift, especially a handmade one as beautiful as this? I couldn't reject the dress, but did I really have to try it on?

My mind was swimming with ideas, all of them ways to get rid of the dress as Ochaco grasped my arm and pulled me to my closet, telling the others she would help me with it. In the midst of everything, I only got a glance at Tokoyami, but I could see it. He was more disturbed by the item than I was and stood in a state of stilled shock with his mouth slightly parted and his eyes wide; his reaction was somewhat relieving to me as it matched my own.

I felt the faint change from hard marble to the soft carpet of my closet as Ochaco threw the doors closed and a loud click filled my ears from the force. I stood there, stunned at the pace everything seemed to be going. One minute, I was in my room opening a gift and the next I was dragged to my closet facing Ochaco, who smiled widely in return, ready for me to don the dress in my arms. My closet was slightly warmer than the outside breeze and it tickled my throat as I inhaled and sighed at my friend. "You really want me to try it on?" as much as I didn't want the wool to cover my body, I'd rather wear the item than damper my friends happiness.

My neck was bent to the side and my brows furrowed in displeasure as Ochaco bounced, "Of course! I know it looks weird, but you must at least try it on! Plus, it's so pretty it would just be a shame to never wear it!" Her eyes were sparkling, and her hair framed her face naturally against the marble backdrop with pure joy radiating from her. I deflated, unwilling to fight her on the matter.

Handing her the dress, I noted the weight of the material as it left my arms; I realized wearing it would be a pain. I began to take off my own clothing in preparation for the gift as I tossed my voice to Ochaco, "Alright, go ahead and see what all needs to be tied in the dress." She giggled as her smiled expanded and she gave me a quick salute before holding the dress up and allowing it to unfold into its full length. She was too short for it and the garnet material piled over itself as the skirt of it cascaded to the floor.

In awe, Ochaco's mouth hung open and her head tilted up and down to look at the dress. I didn't pay much attention to it though, as I was caught in my own head. This whole month had been a nightmare; first I'd been called to a war meeting, then a Todorki came to the capital just for me, and lastly, I'd met and been taken hostage by their savage prince, now I was expected to wear something so clearly made to reference their culture? Not to mention, my father had been killed and there had been no time to mourn for him in between everything.

Now, as my birthday and coronation were soon approaching, I'd be expected to lead my people to murder thousands. It was time to be a queen, not a princess. Today would have to be the last, the last day of the feeble, peace seeking princess. Tomorrow would mark the beginning of a new reign.

With this thought, I grasped the wool dress and began to slip myself into it. The wool was softer than the silk and cotton I was used to and much warmer. It surprised me, as I thought it'd be rough, or at least itchy, but it was neither. It was heavier though, and rather than billowing gently as silk did, the weight of the material kept it close to my body. I heard the soft noises Ochaco made in admiration as she began to zip the dress up from my lower spine to the base of my neck. It was an unusual sensation as most of our clothing tied rather than zipped, and the dress covered more of my skin than I was used to.

It smoothed itself out over my body as the skirt hoovered just above my toes, so close that I could barely feel the hem brush my skin. It fit like a glove and was as comfortable as any skirt or dress I'd ever worn; it was clearly a masterpiece.

Ochaco began circling me as I pulled my hair outside of the fabric and tied it into a neat bun however, we both stopped moving when Tsuyu's voice was heard through the door. "Does it fit? Can we see?" She still sounded nervous, and Kirishima and Tokoyami's voices, as well as her own, could all be heard having a muffled conversation.

Ochaco smiled and placed her hands on my shoulders, "You're all set, Milady!" with that, she swung me around and began pushing me out; with the movement, I could feel my skin begin to moisten with sweat, clearly, this was not a dress to be worn on warm days.

The force of Ochacos pushing made me burst through my closet doors startling Tsuyu and drawing all attention to me. Their expressions changed almost instantly, and the room grew quiet as Ochaco moved from behind me and joined Tsuyu by the boys. No one spoke, all of them too stunned or giddy or giddy to speak. Tsuyu began to circle me, admiring her work while brushing her hand along the dress as she walked to make sure everything fit. "It's perfect…" she breathed lightly, almost inaudibly.

Her eyes were shining, almost tearful, and she brought both her hands to cover her mouth as Ochaco nodded, confirming what Tsuyu had said. "It is beautiful Tyusu, and perfect! It fits her so well!" Kirishimas wide gapping turned to a grin as he nodded and patted Tsuyu on the back, giving her his own praise however, she seemed to ignore them both whistle she stared at me. It was almost odd, the way she seemed to phase them out as if she were in her own head, but she recovered when I turned my body to fully look at her. Meanwhile, Tokoyami still hadn't said a word or moved a muscle.

"Come over to the mirror so you can see yourself, you look amazing." Tsuyu grasped my arm lightly and began to bring me over to my full-length mirror. My sandals slide against the marble and I was vaguely aware of how ridiculous they looked beneath the wool dress as it brushed my toes. However, that soon became a thought for another day as I got to fully look at the dress for the first time.

While the wool itself was a deep garnet, an even deeper garnet was used in a delicate wave pattern resembling the tides. It was interesting to see such a pattern in red, and occasionally, glints of gold caught my eye. I realized she'd strung shiny, gold string throughout the dress to catch the sun and shimmer, meshing the colors and creating something beautiful. Although the dress zipped in the back, aesthetic, golden buttons adorned the chest area in two columns. There were six total, each in pairs and about four inches below the one above it. It reminded me vaguely of a military uniform, but also a coat.

The back of the collar creeped its way past the middle of my neck while the front had a dip in it where the wool overlapped. I could unbutton the front and let a layer just hang, but that'd look foolish. The sleeves were fitted until they reached my elbows, where they began to drape like the bottom of the skirt and ended just below my wrists. The whole thing looked so much like the Zambetzi and reminded me of Fuyumi, but one blatant difference between her dress and mine was the lack of an undercoat built into the dress. Her dress had a cotton lining that puffed out the hems and made itself visible where mine had none of the sort; it was the only difference that made the dress seem appropriate for the weather of my kingdom.

As I gazed at the dress, I felt a light sensation on my shoulder and brought my eyes to Tsuyus in the mirror. "Do you like it?" Her voice sounded meek and her brows were drawn in worry, almost afraid to ask. She seemed hopeful but also ashamed and scared; did she think I was unhappy with the reference to the Zambetzi? "I had hoped your negotiations would be successful…" she continued, but began to move in front of me, separating myself from the mirror and bringing herself to face me. She grasped both my hands as she continued, "And I thought, if they were, you'd need something to wear there one day, so I made this for you in the hopes that it could be a symbol of the two kingdoms. I know things didn't go as planned but, I believed you'd still want the dress."

Tsuyu was kind and humble, and the dress was amazing, and although I didn't think I'd ever wear it, I could see that she needed to hear me praise her work as well. "It may be the most beautiful thing I own Tsuyu, thank you." Her small smile expanded, and she drew me into a hug becoming exuberant about my return.

Life seemed to fill her as Ochaco and Kirishima began to give her their own praise, and slowly the conversation moved on to things that we did at sea and Tsuyu filling us in on what happened here at court while we were away. She told us how the people rallied behind my effort, making pastries in my name and praying for me. She said that, although none of them wanted to be allies with the Zambetzi, the wanted to honor me for trying to reason with savages and treat even the Winter dogs with respect.

It was both a humbling conversation, and one I pitied. There was a whole nation of people my own people saw a little more than rugged hounds; they were cruel in all the harshest ways, but they were too regal and refined to be dogs. Our conversation and my thoughts only ended when Tokoyami cleared his throat loudly and deeply. It was the first sound he'd made since I'd put on the dress.

In the middle of our conversation, I had scurried back to my closet to change hoping to get out of the dress before I became a pile of sweat. I'd also hoped it'd relax Tokoyami, but it hadn't. We all turned to look at him now, waiting for him to speak. "As much as I hate to be the bearer of bad news, I'm afraid Yaoyorozu is needed for some official business soon. Ochaco, I believe the kitchen staff made her a treat, could you go fetch it? And Kirishima, I need to escort Yaotorozu, so please see to it that the temple guards are all filled in on what happened on the ship in regard to the prince and his tendency to ignore our rules. Also, please escort Tsuyu out while you go, she may get lost without you."

Tokoyami turned and walked towards my doors, opening one for the others to walk through. It was a sudden change, but they seemed to accept his reasoning as Ochaco and Tsuyu both hugged me before smiling and making their way out the door. Kirishima glanced between Tokoyami and I once, before sighing and complaining about having to leave as he too walked out. Tokoyami and Tsuyu caught each other's eyes making him hesitate lightly before he closed the door again.

His head fell slightly then, and he gazed at the ground. Glancing over his body I could see the tension in his muscles before he continued in a soft tone. "You can't wear it. Not now, not ever." The dress, he must have found it much more unsettling than I thought.

"I know, but I couldn't just reject it. It was a gift, one that clearly took her a long time and a lot of effort." He sighed and turned his body, leaning against my door with his back as he eyed me somberly. The gold had faded from the air but the breeze still filled my room, bringing the smell of salt and butter.

He was hauntingly dull against the warmness of the air and brightness of my room as he shook his head almost remorseful. "I know, but that dress would frighten any who saw you in it. It's not something you should even keep." Although I agreed with him that I'd probably never wear it, I disagreed with him that I shouldn't keep it.

What would Tsuyu think if she found out I got rid of it? How would she feel? "No, I can't do that to Tsuyu, she's my friend. She'd be devastated if I got rid of it, especially after telling her that I loved it." His frown turned into a flat line and he crossed his arms over his wide chest, clearly still unhappy and reluctant. "Does it bother you that much? It's just a dress Tokoyami."

He shook his head wearily, supporting his own weight now equally between his legs. "Yes, it's just a dress, but it suggests a unity between our kingdoms that isn't there." For some reason, that sentence made the reality of my world click in that moment. I was at war, with the nation that dress was based on. He was right to be displeased with the dress, and with my reluctance to get rid of it, but I couldn't. "Just promise me you'll never wear it, never even take it out of your closet."

He began to walk toward me as the smell of cannoli penetrated my doors. I could lightly hear the sound of Ochacos humming growing closer and closer as she approached my room, signaling the end of our private conversation. "I promise."

That evening there had been a "Welcome Home" party thrown by the wealthy open to all in the capital. One of the Plazas had been decorated and fine wines and pastries had been served; it had been relaxing, and I saw it as more than just a "welcome Home" party. It served as the end to my wish for peace, the end to the princess Yoayorozu, as now, I would be Queen.

In the days after the party, I began to attend the council meetings regularly, learning war plans and tactics, and at night, I'd train with Tokoyami on the beach. It was all exhausting, but I was growing accustomed to it as the days seemed to get less and less excruciating. I realized during the meetings war was predictable, at least ours was.

It was always a push and pull motion between our nations; we'd push and get the upper hand, and in retaliation, the Zambetzi would pull it back. However, my plan involving the feudal lords had been set into motion and seemed to be working; we were pushing. It'd only been a few weeks and the Zambetzi were already paying double for their fruits, spices, and vegetables, and the feudal lords seemed to be sending them only scraps and rotten food on most orders.

Due to the death of their youngest prince, their people were in mourning; we'd anticipated the anger this would cause and the cruelty they would have back, but it was the loss in morale we were hoping for. The Zambetzi forts and establishments nearest our boarders seemed to be thinning out as their people started to starve or were sent out for resources.

We've been on their heels since the negotiations. Their people were losing their vigor during fights, their bodies and minds simply giving up. Many Zambetzi still believed in death over capture, an idea put into their heads by the rising Tsars father, the late Tsar Enji Todoroki, which was causing some problems during battle but, for the most part, everything was going smoothly.

With their food supply thinning, our spies had reported a renewed farming effort from the Zambetzi but, their attempts were unfruitful as Winter spread throughout their land. Their food storage had become vital to them and our spies reported that the Tsar had ordered rations to be given out to those in need. I felt awful for the idea, but I'd asked our spies for the location of their storage units. With this, Nighteye had devised a wildly successful plan to infiltrate their cities and burn their stored food. Now, they were almost completely reliant on what they could buy.

Their people were only just beginning to starve with only a few reported deaths however, it was clear this would be a harsh Winter for them. Rather than spending their gold on the war effort, the Tsar was now having to throw most of their resources into obtaining food. It was helping us as our soldiers saw less and less refined explosives during battle, and the Zambetzi were being extra frugal with the use of their ships and expensive weapons. It was allowing us to gain ground.

We'd pushed them far beyond the border, a couple dozen miles or so, however, I'd sent the order to halt our progression until next Spring. This plan was only worthwhile if it spared or own soldiers from the cold, hungry deaths the Zambetzi faced. While their people starved and became poor, ours were flourishing.

My Mother decided to use the extra food we were receiving to feed farm animals, the poor, our allies, or provided farmers who'd lost their crops due to the war with food to sell so as not to harm our own economy. Our people were thriving and talk of the war had dwindled amongst the court with the coming arrival of my birthday, and thus my coronation.

Suitor after suitor have asked for my hand since the negotiations yet I still faced the throne with no husband. My mother and a few others have suggested Tokoyami however, he and I both find the idea laughable. I know it'll be difficult and lonely to take the throne alone, but I'm prepared. I will do what I must to save my people.

My training with Tokoyami was building me, reconstructing me in a way my suitors despised. He'd begun by building my strength first in foremost so that I was capable of resistance on some level. Now, it was matter of learning the movements and actions along with building my muscle. It was fun, throwing my friends in the sand while listening to tides hitting the shore with the moon shining down on us. The air had a briskness to it that only came with Winter although, I never really paid much attention to is as my body was in constant motion.

Ochaco had taken to singing or dancing while Kirishima, Tokoyami and I practiced. Tonight was no different as she sat on a rock whose bottom was sturdy against the crashing waves, singing a dreary melody to stars. Kirishima was beside her cleaning and sharpening a knife he'd gotten from Tokoyami made of a black steel with a silver hilt; it was an expensive item meant to resist the fire from the Zambetzi.

Tokoyami stood before me, legs spread and arms up with his fists clenched lightly before his face guarding himself. Half his features were lit but the moon casting shadows across his face as he spoke. "Many Zambetzi are taught to fight primarily with their magic, throwing their arms and legs out as they expel it. In many ways, it makes them difficult to keep up with, but they're likely to underestimate you. This means they may move sluggishly or not take the initiative until you're on them." He stepped back with his right foot and motioned for me to come closer.

He didn't wear his cloak when we practiced, exposing the black pants and shirts he wore underneath so I could see his motions. "In a smaller space, you may be to flip your attacker with your hips. Luckily for you, they'll likely be around your height or taller, but not by much. Wait till they throw their first round of magic if you see that they're going to use their arm." He extended his right hand, fist clenched then retracted it and redid the movement.

"For this, you'll have to remember to watch for the flexion of the shoulder to predict their attack, then in once swift movement you'll have to move in." Predicting movements and attacks was one of the first things he'd taught me; it was Tokoyami's belief that you couldn't win a fight without some foresight into what your opponents will do. He told me it was near impossible to counter a move properly without knowing what was coming.

I stepped forward, my loose dull, blue pants grazing my ankles and bare feet while I watched him move. "You'll want to get into their chest area and grab them underneath their shoulders. Don't hook your hands under their arms, wrap your arms around their upper chest." He stood fully and dropped his arms motioning for me to stand in front of him.

"Be loose and ready, your goal is to roll them off your hips. As they throw out their arm, grab them and put your opposite hip to theirs from behind." He demonstrated as he spoke, coming forward and hoovering his arms around my torso. His body was turned so that he could stand partially behind me, his left hip and my right nearly touching while he faced away from me. "You'll squat and lean forward, using their own weight to throw them around you." Bending his legs and leaning forward, I felt our hips contact and my body being forced to lean over his own.

"When taking them from underneath the arms you'll need to watch your head to make sure they don't elbow you in the face. Avoid this by keeping your head between their shoulder and head. If you can force their shoulders up slightly, when you lean them back they won't be able to bring their arms down, but it's likely you'll still be in their arm range but they wont be able to get much force if they punch you." He moved his arms up by an inch, lifting my shoulders to extended them slightly past their normal position and I felt myself loose my balance as he leaned just a bit more.

The feeling of the sand beneath my feet vanished as my body was resting on his hip, before he released me back onto my feet and stepped around me to face me. "Your turn; I'm going to assume the position I would be in if I'd just thrown out a punch or some magic, grab me and see if you can flip me." Taking a fighting stance, he extended his right arm and nodded.

I took great pleasure in causing him small amounts of pain whenever we practiced, like throwing him, or elbowing him, and I smiled widely as I reach around him taking his arms up. With my feet spread and body squatted I tried to roll him off of me, but the action felt more difficult than it was supposed to be. "It feels more difficult that it looked, did you do something differently?" I hadn't let him go, so he craned his neck over his shoulder to look at my stance bringing his hair to fall from his head and barely tickle the hair on my own arms.

"Spread your legs more!" Kirishimas voice carried over to us, drawing my attention to him as he nidded and waved with a toothy grin before turning back to his own affairs. Tokoyami and I shared a look and he shrugged as much as he could in his position causing us both to laugh lightly.

I shifted and moved my feet, squatting as I spoke, "No hard feelings when I throw you, right?" My jovial tone made Tokoyami's guard go down, and he attempted to respond. Before he could get even a syllable out though, I'd used as much force as I could to bring my torso to my thighs, bending over and bringing Tokoyami with me. The action startled him, and he let out a little yelp as he hit the sand, mixing it with his hair. The added distance between my feet allowed me to perform the move with surprising ease and I jumped in excitement.

Tokoyami rolled onto his back holding his left shoulder while laughing with a slight grimace. Kirishima and Ochaco's heads turned our way as I cheered, and they shared a look of confusion. "Maybe I'll teach you how to just run away next, at least then I won't be hurt." Tokoyami frowned but there was mirth in his eyes as he looked up at me, laying his body out over the beach.

I laughed lightly before I brought my hands to my hips and tossed most of my weight to one foot, "I don't know Tokoyami, I think the ground suits you." We all laughed then, filling the air with our amusement. It had been a joyous night for us after a stressful day with the kingdom preparing for my ascension.

My birthday was less than two weeks away and everyone in the kingdom was giddy with hope and happiness. Even I was a bit excited, but mostly I was a giant scramble of nerves with everything going on and the prospect of ruling a nation. Surprisingly, for the past few days, the war had been at the back of my mind, allowing me to relax at night more than usual, as I was now.

A small tug on the bottom of my pants drew my attention down to Tokoyami, who was still splayed out on the sand, as he extended his arm and pointed to the sky with a small whisper, "Look." There was awe and wonder in his expression as he stared up and for a moment, I watched as his small smile grew and grew in amazement. Slowly, I turned my head up as well casting my eyes to the sky.

The sight was stunning as my own eyes widened in realization. Comet after comet could be seen streaking across the sky and painting it for a few seconds as it fell. The sky was awe-inspiring, each comet taking my breath away as they appeared and disappeared. I was vaguely aware of Ochaco's own gasp as she noticed and alerted Kirishima. They exchanged their comments of the sky and its beauty as I let my body fall to the sand beside Tokoyami.

The sand was cool and dense against my skin as I laid, my own hair mixing with its brown and tan hues as the wind tapped against my skin brining the frost of the air to my cheeks. "I think it's an omen, or a blessing on your reign." Neither Tokoymi nor I turned from the sky as he spoke, just loud enough for me to hear. "They say you're supposed to make a wish when you see a shooting star, but can wish during a meteor shower?" I let his question hang for a few before I brought it to my mind and really thought about it.

They were the same thing, one was just more numerous, so I didn't see why not. When I was a child, I remember wishing for things like pretty flowers or desserts, not the things that really matter in life. I had so many things I could wish for now, so many hopes and dreams, desires, aspirations, even things for my people. It was difficult to pick just one, especially when one had been devilishly crushed so recently, but eventually, after several minutes, I found my wish. Smiling, I turned my head to my longest and best friend and waiting for him to do the same. When our eyes met, he too smiled, and I spoke as quietly as he had; "I did."

 **Sprry for the rushed ending, I had an hour and a half to finish it! I think you can tell where I started writing tonight to finish, it lacks the amount of detail I normally write and unfortunately I didn't get a chance to reread everything so therre's prolly some errors here and there. Im also typing htis very fast because now it's 11:58! Anyway, n** **ext chapter WILL BE BETTER!** **See yall next time!**


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